Perioral muscle activity changes after Lip Bumper treatment

Area of Science:

• Orthodontics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Physiology

Background:

• Lip muscle activity plays a crucial role in oral function and facial aesthetics.
• Orthodontic interventions like the Lip Bumper (LB) aim to modify dental and skeletal relationships.
• Understanding the impact of LB treatment on lip muscle function is essential for evaluating its efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze lip muscle activity using surface electromyography (sEMG) in young patients undergoing Lip Bumper (LB) treatment.
• To compare lip muscle activity in treated patients with a control group over a one-year period.

Main Methods:

• Prospective non-randomised case-control study involving 40 young patients treated with LB and 40 matched controls.
• sEMG measurements were recorded at baseline and after one year, during rest and swallowing.
• Analysis focused on upper and lower lip muscle activity with and without the LB appliance.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant decrease in upper lip muscle activity at rest was observed after one year of LB treatment (p <0.002).
• Significant reductions in lower lip muscle activity were found both with (p <0.001) and without (p <0.001) the appliance in situ.
• These findings suggest a notable adaptation of lip muscles to the altered oral environment.

Conclusions:

• One year of LB treatment significantly reduced lip muscle activity at rest and during swallowing compared to untreated individuals.
• The results indicate a potential short-term adaptation of upper and lower lip muscles to the new balance induced by LB treatment.
• LB treatment may contribute to achieving a more favorable lip-muscle relationship in growing patients.