Orofacial function includes important actions such as breathing, chewing and swallowing along with verbal and non-verbal communication and touch. Is it possible to compile a series of different tests in order to objectively provide an in-depth description of a person's orofacial function?

Role of Institute of Postgraduate Dental Education

Project leader

Project start

Ethics testing during 2019,
Start up 2020

Project partners

Mun-H-Center, Västra Götalandsregionen

Funding

Futurum, Region Jönköpings län
Nordisk Förening för Funktionshinder och Oral Hälsa (NFH)

Project leader

Pernilla Holmberg
Consultant Orthodontist, Specialist in oral prosthetics, Expertise Centre for Rare Odontological Conditions, Institute for Postgraduate Dental Education, Public Dental Health Care Services, Region Jönköping County.

Project members

Johanna Norderyd,
Consultant Orthodontist, Specialist in pedodontics, PhD, Expertise Centre for Rare Odontological Conditions, Institute for Postgraduate Dental Education, Public Dental Health Care Services, Region Jönköping County.

Christina Havner, Consultant Orthodontist, Specialist in orthodontics, Mun-H-Center, Public Dental Health Care Services, West Götaland Region.

Åsa Mogren, Leg. Speech Therapist, Mun-H-Center, Public Dental Healthcare Services, Västra Götalandsregionen.

Lotta Sjögreen, Leg logoped, Docent, Mun-H-Center, Folktandvården, West Götaland Region

 

Previous or related articles/publications

Development and evaluation of a comprehensive screening for orofacial dysfunction

Purpose and goal

An overall assessment of orofacial function can be performed using the Nordic Orofacial Test - Screening (NOT-S).

The same research group that developed and validated the NOT-S (Bakke et al. 2007) has now developed a battery of tests that should provide a broad, in-depth, objective and reliable description of a person's or a group's orofacial function.

The purpose of this project is to standardize these different subtests, with the goal of establishing cutoff values between normal and abnormal orofacial function.

Challenges

Orofacial function involves complex interactions between the central nervous system and the neuromuscular system.

Impaired orofacial function is common in people with congenital and acquired disabilities. An orofacial examination should include all included structures and functions, which traditionally fall under different professional groups in both dentistry and healthcare.

Today, there is a lack of a validated comprehensive instrument to diagnose and describe orofacial function and to evaluate treatment.

Solution

The project will result in a validated battery of tests that can be used by all the professional groups for diagnosis of orofacial function in a person from 3 years old and up.

Effect

A compilation of the various tests provides an in-depth and comprehensive picture of the patient's orofacial function and can be used both in the clinic for treatment measures and in research.

The standardization of all tests makes it possible to compare the patient's results against healthy controls within the same age group.