Review Article

Tongue: Anatomy, functions and orthodontic implications

Parijat Chakraborty1*, Richa Dhingra2, Pratik Chandra3, Ragni Tandon4, Aftab Azam5, Ashish Chauhan6
1,2
Post Graduate, 3Reader, 4Professor and HOD, 5Professor, 6Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics,
Saraswati Dental College, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

*Corresponding Author: Parijat Chakraborty

Email: parijatchak@gmail.com

Abstract
Malocclusion can also be caused by abnormal functions, for instance, mouth breathing, tongue thrust, swallowing, and unilateral
chewing and also by abnormal postures of oral circumferential muscles like forward tongue thrust, tongue biting, and low tongue
at rest. Orthodontists agree that the tongue’s habitually abnormal movement can cause a variety of malocclusions. The aim of the present
literature is to enlighten the anatomy & development of tongue, along with its functions and orthodontic implications (role in
malocclusion).

Keywords: Tongue, Swallowing, Mastication, Orthodontics.

Introduction Functions of Tongue (Chart 1)

Orthodontists agree that the tongue’s habitually abnormal Mastication
movement can cause a variety of malocclusions. It is The tongue assistance in mastication is also well recognized.
universally acknowledged that the power of the tongue Besides controlling, with the assistance of the buccinator the
misshapes the arches and many concerned study has been position of the food between the teeth, it also turns the food
devoted to determine whether the tongue is an important and mixes it with saliva. On the other hand, it has been
factor in malocclusion. evident that the tongue significantly influences masticatory
Malocclusion could also be caused by abnormal efficiency. The tongue movement with the mouth closed
functions, for instance, mouth breathing, tongue thrust, appears to be closer to movement during mastication than
swallowing, and unilateral chewing and also by movement with the mouth open. Tongue movement showed
abnormal postures of oral circumferential the greatest difference compared to action potential with the
muscles like forward tongue thrust, tongue biting, and mouth closed in the resting position involved muscle
low tongue at rest. Forces from unintentional and activity during lateral movement of the tongue.
habitual behaviors constantly working on the Swallowing is an essential act similar to breathing or
maxillofacial and alveolar regions can cause the bony blood circulation. It begins during fetal life and corresponds
structures to generally deform, bringing about jaw to all the muscle and joint movements that allow passing the
deformity and malocclusion. “bolus” (including saliva) in the oral cavity to the digestive
The aim of the present literature is to enlighten the tract. (Fig. 2)
anatomy & development of tongue, along with its functions It consists of three successive phases: oral,
and orthodontic implications. pharyngeal, esophageal. Oral phase of swallowing
implements not only the lingual and masticatory muscles
Anatomy of Tongue & Development of Dental as well as the facial muscles and the infra-hyoid muscles
Arches (Fig. 1) and sub-hyoid. In the infant, swallowing moved from
The normal growth, development and function of the tongue birth through nutrition function. The tongue is then in a
is well integrated with the growth, development and low position and intervened between the arcades during
function of all other related oral and dental structures which swallowing. Daily frequency (between 1 000 and 3000
inevitably leads to normal jaw relation and dental function. times per day) and constantly repeated functional
Three theories have been developed regarding factors which stimulation it causes, among other at the TMJ level,
augment inherent growth tendencies. These are summarized allows the progressive installation during growth, of an
as follows: instantaneous anatomical correlation, between maximum
1. The development of the jaws is due principally to occlusion and articular swallowing position. The role
occlusal force during mastication. and position of tongue are essential to a physiological
2. The development of the jaws is governed principally by swallowing.
the development of the teeth. In children, in deciduous and mixed dentition, atypical
3. The development of the jaws is fostered principally by or inaccurate lingual postures are consistently associated
muscle activity with facial deformities (Deffez 1995). Disorders of the
position and volume lingual, dyskinesia thus directly affect
facial growth and positioning of the teeth in occlusion and
along occlusal curves (Wilson and Spee).

IP Indian Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Research, January-March, 2020;6(1):

Parijat Chakraborty et al. Tongue: Anatomy, functions and orthodontic implications

Chart 1: Functions of the tongue

Fig. 1: Development of tongue

Fig. 2: Phases of swallowing

Breathing
Speech While the tongue is at rest, nasal breathing occurs. But a
Tongue helps in the formation of sounds like – s, z, t, d, sh, habit or a force is always associated with forced mouth
e, g, is. Hence, it improves speech. breathing.

IP Indian Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Research, January-March, 2020;6(1):

Parijat Chakraborty et al. Tongue: Anatomy, functions and orthodontic implications

Equilibrium theory and development of dental occlusion

Contributors to dental equilibrium- Role in malocclusion
1. Masticatory forces. Genioglossus reflex (initiated by large tongue) causes
2. Soft tissue pressures from the lips, cheeks & tongue. sustained Jaw opening further resulting into sustained
3. External pressures- habits & orthodontic forces. tongue posture, which leads to malocclusion like
4. Intrinsic pressures- gingival & PDL fibres. proclination, openbite, deepbite, etc.
Graber (1975)6 in his book considered the influence of
Buccinator Mechanism (Fig. 3) tongue position and tongue size along with the size of the
Buccinator is a quadrilateral muscle between maxilla and mandible to be important factor in the dental arch and bone
mandible and it forms the mobile and adaptive substance of formation. In support to this literature, Naosuke Doto
cheek. (2015)7 hypothesized that the lip closing force and tongue
1. Winders has shown that during mastication and pressure were very important for preventing malocclusion
deglutition, the tongue may exert 2 to 3 times as much and achieving post orthodontic treatment stability. The
force on the musculature as the lips and cheeks at any abnormal morphology of the lower lip and tongue may be
one time. primary/ secondary to the malocclusion and may tend to
2. Role of buccinator mechanism is in maintaining arch produce deterioration of incisor relation after treatment.
form and teeth in position. Lambrechts (2010)8 put forward different roles of the
3. Starting with the decussating fibers of orbicularis internal and external muscular forces that were guiding
oris muscle joining the right and left fibers within eruption, influencing occlusal formation, and maintaining
the lips, the Buccinator Mechanism runs laterally dental arch shape and stability.
and posteriorly around the corners of mouth, joining According to the Theory of Tomes (1873),9 the perioral
other fibers of buccinator muscle which inserts into musculature and tongue principally determines the position
the pterygomandibular raphe just behind the of the teeth. Others authors acknowledged that muscle
dentition function, duration, speech and swallow can be a primary
4. Here, it intermingles with the fibers of superior factor in causing and perpetuating a malocclusion.
constrictor muscle which continues medially and The pressure from tongue on the dentition can be
posteriorly to anchor at the pharyngeal tubercle measured by various techniques like EMG,
of occipital bone. Cineradiography, Palatographic, Sensors, Balloon filled
5. The decussating fibers of orbicularis oris muscle, Pressure tips.
the anterior component of the buccinator
mechanism. Conclusion
6. Opposing the buccinator mechanism on the lingual Hence, we can conclude that the position, size and function
aspect, is a very powerful muscle – the Tongue play a vital role in dental malocclusion. Also, habits like
tongue thrusting trouble the orthodontists as relapse chances
increases in such cases.

Source of Funding
None.

Conflict of Interest
None.

References
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