In cleft lip and palate patients with a germ of the lateral incisor, it is beneficial to carry out secondary bone grafting to the alveolar cleft at the age of 5 to 7 years, preceding eruption of the canine, in order to form a good bone bridge that will facilitate eruption of the lateral incisor and subsequent normal dentition and occlusion.

In the internal distraction technique, the maxilla was advanced inferiorly to the planned vector and with a slight clockwise rotation. These results are useful for surgical planning when using internal distractors.

No abstract

Swallowing is a reflex that receives sensory information from the peripheral nerves and from the cerebral cortex. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the sensory input from anterior teeth affects the functional characteristics of tongue pressure applied against the hard palate during swallowing. Subjects were eight healthy volunteers. Tongue pressure against the hard palate during swallowing 10 ml of water was measured under two conditions: preanesthesia and postanesthesia of anterior teeth. The sensory deprivation of anterior teeth was performed by periodontal anesthesia. Tongue pressure was measured using a multiple tactile array sensor (MTAS) with eight sensor channels arranged in tandem. The duration of the tongue pressure production during swallowing was increased under periodontal anesthesia. In addition, the maximum tongue pressure and the pressure integral during swallowing were decreased under periodontal anesthesia, in particular at the anterior region of the palate. These findings indicate that sensory input from anterior teeth, including periodontal mechanoreceptor, affects the deglutitive tongue pressure and duration and provides peripheral feedback to modulate some aspects of the neurophysiologic control of deglutitive tongue movement.

Masticatory function is significantly lower in individuals with malocclusion than in those with normal occlusion. Although several studies suggest that masticatory function influences gastrointestinal digestive function, the relationship between malocclusion and gastrointestinal symptoms has not been studied extensively. We hypothesised that insufficient masticatory function would increase the functional burden of the stomach and have some influence on the gastrointestinal system. The purpose of this study was to investigate masticatory function and gastric emptying rate in subjects with malocclusion. Eleven healthy dentate female volunteers and eleven female patients with maloc-clusion underwent a (13) C-acetate breath test with a liquid meal. Maximum (13) CO2 exhalation time (Tmax ) was compared statistically between both groups. Masticatory function was assessed by colour-changeable chewing gum. In addition, the frequency scale for the symptoms of gastroeso-phageal reflux disease (FSSG) and questionnaires on food intake were given to both groups. The mean Tmax of the malocclusion group was significantly longer than that of the normal occlusion group (P = 0·007). Masticatory performance, measured by colour-changeable gum and questionnaires, was significantly lower in the malocclusion group than in the normal occlusion group (P = 0·023, P = 0·003). There was no significant difference in the FSSG results between the two groups (P = 0·262). This study suggested that there was a correlation between malocclusion and gastric emptying function in women.