Electronic measurements of relative tongue-palate contact time. Development and testing for orthodontic functional analysis.

The importance of the tongue to the form of the jaws and dental arches has long been accepted. Clear-cut differences in arch width and arch height are observed between mouth and nasal breathing. Course measurements, e.g. duration of tongue contact with the gum, are not feasible with traditional measuring methods. The palatal measuring appliance presented here together with the purpose-developed storage and evaluation equipment permits for the first time continuous 24-hour measurement of tongue contact with the palate. The clinical observation is confirmed by the presented results. Nasal obstruction is associated with lower tongue-palate contact times. In our probands, these times fell by an average of 72% after forced mouth breathing. Since complex movements within the mouth cavity cannot be directly observed, functional analysis relating to the tongue position was previously impossible, at least over a longer period. The measuring device presented here is suitable for analyzing in more detail the diagnostically difficult complex of tongue movements and breathing habits. It might therefore conceivably be used to assess myofunctional disturbances and therapeutic methods.