[Tongue position assessment in patients before and after maxilla expansion]

The aim of this research is to increase the accuracy of determining the position of the tongue, the amount of space occupied by the tongue and space, free from tongue, increase of efficiency of diagnostics of dentofacial anomalies in patients based on CBCT analysis-the study of the skull conducted in transversal, sagittal and coronal planes. Clinical and x-ray examination and orthodontic treatment were carried out in 120 patients with anomalies of the dentition complex. Patients were divided into three groups. Group 1 - 30 patients aged 5 to 11 years. Group 2 - 50 patients aged 12 to 17 years. Group 3 - 40 patients aged 18 to 40 years. All patients underwent CT examination of the skull before treatment, and during the retention period of treatment. After a diagnostic examination of the proposed method for diagnosing the anatomical and functional state of the dentition complex and drawing up a treatment plan, all patients underwent orthodontic treatment, which consisted in the expansion of the upper jaw using various orthodontic appliances for expansion. This method allows to identify anomalies in the position of the tongue before and after orthodontic treatment, to assess the quality of orthodontic treatment, based on the analysis of not only the tongue filling the space of the dome of the palate, but also the position of the bone structures of the skull in three planes. The high quality of the study allows us to give a reliable assessment of the state of maxillofacial structures: the position of the upper and lower jaws, inclination of teeth, the stage of formation of the patient's growth, airway lumen and the influence of tongue on these structures at different stages of development of the maxillofacial skull. When comparing the results of the study, not all patients carried out recovered the anatomical and functional balance of the maxillofacial complex after orthodontic treatment, suggesting the need for more myogymnastics of the tongue before, during, and after treatment.