Diagnosis of macroglossia and indications for reduction glossectomy

Macroglossia can create dentomusculoskeletal deformities, instability of orthodontic and orthognathic surgical procedures, and masticatory, speech, and airway problems. The cause of macroglossia must be clearly defined, and true macroglossia separated from pseudomacroglossia (displacement of the tongue created by anatomic factors other than tongue size alone). This article discusses the signs and symptoms of macroglossia, including the clinical and radiographic features, treatment techniques, as well as previously reported results. Cases are shown to illustrate the applicability of this technique.