Orthodontic treatment in patients with atypical swallowing and malocclusion: a systematic review

Abstract

This review aimed to analyze the correlation between atypical swallowing and malocclusions and how this dysfunction can be treated. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement was followed to conduct this systematic review, and the protocol was registered at International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) with the CRD42024499707. A thorough search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science to find papers that discussed myofunctional and orthodontic treatment for patients with atypical swallowing and malocclusion from 01 January 2003 to 27 November 2023. The search yielded 2554 articles, of which only 12 records were selected for qualitative analysis. The analysis of these articles revealed that orofacial myofunctional therapy, criab appliance, Habit corrector™, and soft tongue restrainers are potential therapies for treating atypical swallowing and malocclusions. The tongue's position affects muscle behavior, leading to malocclusions that can be treated with various therapies, resulting in effective clinical outcomes. However, more research is required to delve deeper into the topic.

Keywords: Atypical deglutition; Atypical swallowing; Deglutition; Logopedic; Malocclusion; Orthodontics; Speech therapy; Swallowing; Tongue thrust.