Altered oral sensory perception in tongue thrusters with an anterior open bite

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate oral sensory perception in patients with an anterior open bite (AOB) and associated tongue thrusting activity. This study was performed in the Department of Orthodontics, Government Dental Hospital, Chennai, on 30 subjects (16 females and 14 males) aged from 12 to 17 years with an AOB associated with a tongue thrust and in a control group of 100 subjects (53 females and 47 males aged from 12 to 17 years) with a normal occlusion and no oral habits. Stereognosis and two-point discrimination (2PD) were employed for evaluation of oral sensory perception. Statistical comparison was undertaken using a Student's t-test. Stereognostic ability was altered in children with an AOB associated with a tongue thrust (t = 15.2, probability of occurrence P < 0.01). The mean oral stereognostic score in the control group was 31.8 and in tongue thrusters 25.3. The AOB group also showed a diminished 2PD threshold at the tip of the tongue [control group 1.08 mm, tongue thrusters with an AOB 1.64 mm (t = 7.3, P < 0.01)]. This finding highlights the fact that the tongue plays a vital role in oral sensory perception. Oral stereognostic tests and 2PD as diagnostic tools are valuable in the evaluation of oral sensory perception.

Oral Somatosensory Perception in Skeletal Anterior Open Bite Malocclusion.

“…However, this conflicts with the findings of Premkumar et al who noted a high percentage of errors in identification of surface texture in subjects with an anterior open bite 14 . Errors in density identification were intermediate to the errors in shape and texture identification in this study.…”

“…Therefore, even if one cannot infer skeletal pattern per se as the sole cause of AOB, the persistent presence of a physical barrier in the form of the tongue preventing incisors from coming into an ideal vertical relationship may possibly be responsible for diminished oral sensory perception in the SAOB subjects. Previous research has also demonstrated a statistically significant inferior sensory ability to perceive shapes and texture in AOB subjects associated with a tongue thrust 14 . In our study, though the response time of the SAOB subjects was longer than the control subjects, the differences were however statistically not significant.…”

“…A diminished oral sensory ability has been reported in subjects who have undergone surgical procedures of the tongue 12,13 . Though individuals with anterior open bite (AOB) present with unique aberrations in structure, function and tongue activity, research on oral somatosensory perception in AOB, is minimal 14,15 . Unlike oral sensory ability, manual sensory ability has been studied to a relatively greater extent [16][17][18] , though rarely in the same cohort 19 .…”

Reprodutibilidade intra-avaliador do teste de discriminação de dois pontos na sola dos pés em idosos e jovens assintomáticos

“…Cutaneous sensitivity tests are used to detect reduced sensory perception and to diagnose neuropathies and abnormalities of sensory function 18,30,31 . The TPD test is commonly used to assess upper limbs and airways cutaneous perception in several populations [30][31][32][33] .…”

“…The TPD test is commonly used to assess upper limbs and airways cutaneous perception in several populations [30][31][32][33] . Nylon monofilaments and the diapason test pitch have been used most often in the sensitivity evaluation of the lower limbs 11,[34][35][36][37] .…”