Indications for reduction of tongue in surgical treatment of mandibular prognathism.

The literature suggests that the tongue plays an important role in the recurrence after operative correction of mandibular prognathism. To prevent such a recidivism a reduction of tongue can be considered. However, it is difficult to decide how the tongue is involved. Size, strength and function are difficult to measure, and the literature on this subject is not concerned with these properties. A number of methods are given with which an impression can be acquired about the above-mentioned properties of the tongue. Special attention is paid to the type of the ostectomy, and the arguments for this procedure are exemplified by the investigation of 75 patients in whom a surgical correction of mandibular prognathism was performed. It is concluded that tongue reduction is more readily indicated preparatory to correction of mandibular prognathism by a modified Kole procedure than before correction by means of a stepped ostectomy or an Obwegeser-Dal Pont procedure.