The Size of the Human Tongue Shadow in Different Mandibular Postures

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Abstract
A previous objection to the cephalometric assessment of individual variations in tongue size was the difficulty of obtaining a standardized position of the tongue and the effect this may have on its apparent size. Five different positions of the mandible were recorded on cephalometric radiographs in sixteen individuals. The tongue postures adopted were produced spontaneously for each posed position of the mandible. Measurement of the tongue area revealed a high degree of intra-individual consistency when comparing the tongue area with the mandible at rest to the area found when the teeth were edge to edge or in occlusion. When the mouth was wide open or the mandible was maximally protruded, the tongue area measurement was significantly different (smaller). The level of reliability of the tongue measurements has been established. It is suggested that further studies of orofacial morphology and posture could usefully incorporate tongue dimensions, provided that recordings were made while the mandible is contained by an envelope of movement limited by occlusion, rest position and incisors edge to edge.

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