Orthodontic treatment of a patient with hypoglossia.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this case study was to provide a detailed report of the orthodontic approach used in treating a Japanese patient with congenital hypoglossia.

PATIENT

The patient was a 6-year-old girl with hypoglossia, micrognathia, congenital absence of three incisors, and a telescopic occlusion accompanied by an extremely narrow lower arch. She had no limb anomalies, and her speech was normal.

RESULTS

Bite opening and mandibular widening from the early mixed dentition dramatically improved the extremely constricted mandible and telescopic occlusion. Cephalometric tracings taken from the beginning to the end of active treatment revealed substantial forward and downward growth in the mandible over time, which may have contributed to correction of the intermaxillary relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment of telescopic occlusion by bite opening and mandibular widening from the early mixed dentition may be effective in facilitating mandibular growth acceleration. An acceptable intermaxillary occlusal relationship and improvement of profile were achieved by an orthodontic approach in this case.