Siblings with spaced arches treated with and without partial glossectomy.

Abstract

Macroglossia, or enlarged tongue, is thought to be an etiological factor in open bite, bimaxillary protrusion, and dental arch spacing, and it might cause instability after orthodontic treatment. Partial glossectomy to reduce tongue size might be a useful method of solving these problems. In this report, we describe orthodontic treatment of 2 siblings with enlarged tongues and arch-space problems. The sister, whose tongue was larger and spacing problem more severe, was treated with a partial glossectomy; her brother refused surgery and was treated with a tongue-crib appliance. Stability after orthodontic treatment was evaluated.

• Authors: Shingo Kawakami, Masahiko Yokozeki, Takumi Takahashi, Shinya Horiuchi, Keiji Moriyama
• Journal: American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics : official publication of the American Association of Orthodontists, its constituent societies, and the American Board of Orthodontics (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop) Vol. 127 Issue 3 Pg. 364-73 (Mar 2005) ISSN: 0889-5406 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15775954 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Adolescent
• Cephalometry
• Child
• Dental Arch (pathology)
• Female
• Glossectomy
• Humans
• Macroglossia (complications, surgery, therapy)
• Male
• Malocclusion (etiology, therapy)
• Orthodontic Appliances
• Orthodontic Space Closure (methods)
• Siblings