ABSTRACT
Atypical swallowing has a high incidence in growing subjects. Orthopedic treatment with orthodontic appliances and speech therapy are the main approaches to this problem. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the changes in the dental arches induced by one year of treatment with the Froggy Mouth myofunctional appliance designed to correct atypical swallowing. In total, 16 patients with atypical swallowing were instructed to use the Froggy Mouth appliance. A digital intraoral impression was taken at baseline (T0). The Froggy Mouth appliance had to be used for 15 min/day throughout the treatment period. At the end of the first year of treatment (T1), another impression was taken with the same intraoral scanner. Digital casts of the T0 and T1 impressions were obtained using software and the two casts were superimposed to record the following measurements: upper intercanine distance, upper arch diameter, upper arch width, overbite and overjet. The data were statistically analyzed (significance threshold: p < 0.05). Student's t-test was used to compare pre- and post-treatment measurements. Linear regressions were performed to assess the influence of arch width on anterior and posterior diameters. A significant increase was found for the upper arch diameters (p < 0.05), whereas no statistically significant difference was found for the incisor relationship (overjet/overbite) (p > 0.05). To date, the efficacy of this appliance has not been extensively studied. According to the present prospective study, the Froggy Mouth protocol could be a valuable method as a myofunctional therapy for atypical swallowing, but further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results.
ABSTRACT
The approach to skeletal dysmorphisms in the maxillofacial area usually requires an orthodontic treatment by means of fixed appliances, both before and after the surgical phase. Since its introduction, Invisalign system has become a popular treatment choice for the clinicians because of the aesthetics and comfort of the removable clear aligners compared with the traditional appliances. Therefore, the aim of the present report was to illustrate the management of a malocclusion by means of Invisalign system associated with the traditional surgical technique. The present paper shows a case of a 23-year-old male patient characterized by a Class III malocclusion with lateral deviation of the mandible to the left side and cross-bite on teeth 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4. Invisalign system was used during the pre- and postsurgical phases rather than fixed appliances. The posttreatment cephalometric analysis emphasized the stability of the dental and skeletal symmetry corrections, occlusion and functional balance, over a 6-year follow-up. The results achieved at the end of the treatment showed how Invisalign can be effective in the management of the orthodontic phases in orthognathic surgery. The follow-up after 6 years emphasizes the stability of the treatment over time.
