Effectiveness of Myofunctional Therapy in Ankyloglossia: A Systematic Review
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
González Garrido, M. D. P., Garcia-Munoz, C., et al. (2022).
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 12347.
<div>This systematic review investigates the effects of myofunctional therapy as an adjunct to surgery or as an independent treatment on any physical outcomes for individuals with ankyloglossia. Diagnosis and surgical treatment of ankyloglossia are not within the speech-language pathologist's (SLP) scope of practice. This summary highlights conclusions within the scope of speech-language pathology and for those with additional training in orofacial myofunctional disorders.</div>
No funding received
From database inception to June 2022
<div>Controlled clinical trials, observational studies, and case studies</div>
11
<div>Studies investigating the effects of myofunctional therapy combined with frenectomy reported improved outcomes for speech sound production, breastfeeding duration, weight gain, and tongue mobility in individuals with ankyloglossia. Myofunctional outcomes such as sleep apnea, mouth breathing, snoring, and myofascial tension also improved. Due to a lack of evidence, the effects of myofunctional therapy alone are unknown. The authors suggest using caution when interpreting these results due to the small number of articles and their low methodological quality. </div>
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<div>Additional limitations of this review include the variability of participant characteristics, lack of protocol descriptions, and variety of outcomes. Additional research is needed to investigate the effects of myofunctional therapy alone for individuals with ankyloglossia.</div>
