A cineradiographic study of deglutitive tongue movement and nasopharyngealclosure in patients with anterior open bite

The purpose of this study was to investigate the movement of the tip and th e dorsal surface of the tongue during deglutition in patients with anterior open bite using cineradiography, The subjects were 10 female patients with anterior open bites and 10 female controls with normal overbites. By ciner adiography we established 7 stages of tongue movement and bolus position du ring deglutition and analyzed the tongue position, tongue movement and the time. The tongue-tip position was more protrusive during deglutition in ant erior open bite than in the controls. After the head of the bolus arrived a t the opening of the esophagus, the rear part of the dorsal surface of the tongue demonstrated slower movement in patients with anterior open bite tha n in controls. The nasopharynx closed earlier in patients with anterior ope n bite than in controls. It is suggested that anterior open bite patients h ad compensatory coordination of tongue movement, soft palate movement and p haryngeal constrictor muscle activity during deglutition.