Rehabilitative Management of Mastication

Rehabilitative Management of Mastication After Orthognathic Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The purpose of this study is to verify the effectiveness of a systematic rehabilitative program for mastication in patients submitted to orthognathic surgery.

Orthognathic surgery can produce complications during the postoperative period - i.e. situations of acute pain and inflammation - as a consequence of fractures and incisions in the mucosa. The inadequate management of soft tissue and prolonged surgical time could be the causes of acute facial oedema, hematoma and ecchymosis in the face and neck, as well as functional disorders involving swallowing and breathing, which can affect patients' integrity.

Despite the fact that decreased muscular extensibility and strength, increased muscular fatigability, hipomobility, and alteration of the biomechanical efficiency and length of the masticatory muscles are documented clinical consequences, no systematic method of obviating such problems through muscular rehabilitation has yet been published

Inclusion Criteria:

• Skeletal Class III orthognathic surgery patients
• adults (age above 18 years)
• agreement to perform orthognathic surgery
• agreement to undergo all of the necessary procedures determined by the multidisciplinary team

Exclusion Criteria:

• previous orthognathic surgery
• previous head and neck surgery
• neurologic and/or systemic diseases
• facial trauma
• syndromes
• cognitive impairment
• communication and hearing deficits