title: Evaluation of tongue pressure on the inferior dental arch in patients with mandibular prognathism.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to find out whether there is a difference between the force exerted by the tongue (pressure) in patients with mandibular prognathism and healthy controls and to determine the difference in tongue pressure on the inferior dental arch in patients with mandibular prognathism before and after mandibular setback.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with mandibular prognathism were compared with healthy controls and data on tongue pressure were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tongue pressure on the inferior dental arch in patients with mandibular prognathism ranged from 1.98 N to 12.26 N (mean 5.356 N). Tongue pressure in the control group ranged from 2.36 N to 16.9 N (mean 6.56 N), with most of the values ranging from 4.02 N to 7.84 N.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tongue pressure on the inferior dental arch is reduced in patients with mandibular prognathism. 1. Surgical treatment for mandibular prognathism using vertical ramus osteotomy does not affect tongue pressure, contradicting the view that the tongue is the main cause of skeletal relapse after mandibular setback. 2. There is no need for routine tongue size reduction prior to orthognathic surgery for mandibular prognathism.
authors.affiliation: Klinika Chirurgii Czaszkowo-Szczekowo-Twarzowej i Onkologicznej Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Lodzi ul. Kopcińskiego 22, 90-153 Lódź.
authors.forename: Aleksander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Przygoński
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arkuszewski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry; D003724:Dental Arch / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011312:Pressure; D011378:Prognathism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014059:Tongue / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology