Tongue pressure and maxillofacial muscle activities during swallowing in patients with mandibular prognathism.

BACKGROUND: Coordination among lip, cheek and tongue movements during swallowing in patients with mandibular prognathism remains unclear.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify the temporal sequences of tongue pressure and maxillofacial muscle activities during swallowing in patients with mandibular prognathism and compared characteristics with those of healthy volunteers.

METHODS: Seven patients with mandibular prognathism (mandibular prognathism group) and 25 healthy volunteers with individual normal occlusion (control group) were recruited. Tongue pressures and masseter, orbicularis oris, mentalis and supra- and infrahyoid muscle activities while swallowing gel were measured simultaneously using a sensor sheet system with five measurement points and surface electromyography, respectively. Onset time, offset time and durations of tongue pressure and muscle activities were analysed.

RESULTS: In the mandibular prognathism group, tongue pressure was often produced first in more peripheral parts of the palate. Offset of tongue pressure in the posteromedian and peripheral parts of the palate and maxillofacial muscle activities except for orbicularis oris were delayed. Duration of tongue pressure in the anteromedian part of the palate was significantly shorter and durations of masseter, mentalis and suprahyoid muscle activities were significantly longer. Times to onset of orbicularis oris and suprahyoid muscle activities based on first onset of tongue pressure were significantly shorter.

CONCLUSION: These results suggest that patients with mandibular prognathism may exhibit specific patterns of tongue pressure production and maxillofacial muscle activities during swallowing.