Speech and myofunctional exercise physiology: a critical review of the literature.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the scientific literature about the physiology and effects of exercises used in the treatment of oral myofunctional disorders.


METHODS
The methodology used followed the concepts of the Cochrane Handbook and involved question formulation related to the topic of investigation, identification and selection of the studies, and a critical evaluation of the selected articles.


METHODS
Papers were selected on PubMed database using the following keyword combinations: "physiology exercise AND speech, language and hearing science", "exercise physiology AND speech therapy", "exercise physiology AND myofunctional therapy", and "physiology exercise AND swallowing therapy". Only papers written in English and published between the years of 2000 and 2010 were included in the analysis.


METHODS
Manuscripts were analyzed according to their objectives, research design, participants, inclusion of a control group, assessment criteria, therapeutic proposal, results and existence about physiology of the chosen exercises.


RESULTS
One hundred and eight studies were identified, out of which 38 had access to the full text and were directly related to the investigated topic. The articles were classified as clinical trials and experimental research, case studies, literature reviews and theoretical articles, letters to the editor and critical analyses.


CONCLUSIONS
This review concluded that there is a lack of knowledge about the effects of the myofunctional exercises used by clinicians. Also there is a lack of scientific evidence to determine the frequency at which they should be performed. Generally, the articles investigate the efficacy of treatment programs without inquiring whether the included exercises are individually effective.
Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Tainá Soares
TS
Ferreira
Laura Davison
LD
Mangilli
Fernanda Chiarion
FC
Sassi
Talita
T
Fortunato-Tavares
Suelly Cecília Olivan
SC
Limongi
Claudia Regina Furquim de
CR
Andrade
D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D006801:Humans; D020247:Myofunctional Therapy; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology*; D013070:Speech Therapy