OBJECTIVETo investigate the tongue movement during swallowing in skeletal Class III adult patients using M-mode ultrasonography combined with cushion scanning technique.

METHODSTongue movement during swallowing in 20 skeletal Class III adult patients (11 females, 9 males, mean age 20.5 years) and 11 healthy adults (8 females, 3 males, mean age 23.5 years) was examined with M-mode ultrasonography combined with cushion scanning technique. The results were compared.

RESULTSCompared with mature swallowed, the skeletal Class III adult patients had longer phase 2 [(0.24 +/- 0.07) s], phase 3 [(1.17 +/- 0.21) s], longer total duration [(1.98 +/- 0.24) s], faster speed in phase 1 [(3.20 +/- 1.30) mm/s], and smaller range in phase 5 [(0.38 +/- 0.28) mm].

CONCLUSIONSThe skeletal Class III adult patients had distinctly different tongue movements during swallowing.

Adolescent ; Case-Control Studies ; Deglutition ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Malocclusion, Angle Class III ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Tongue ; diagnostic imaging ; Ultrasonography ; Young Adult