Dynamics of Swallowing in Healthy Individuals Using a Palatal Augmentation Prosthesis

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The Palatal Augmentation Prosthesis (PAP), which is fabricated so the palatal vault is lowered to provide increased linguopalatal contact, improves deglutition, and speech potential in patients with reduced tongue volume and movement. It was described the effect of PAP on the management of dysphagia in patients with cerebral palsy, cerebrovascular disease and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as consequence of its treatment. In order to evaluate the pharyngeal swallowing dynamics of PAP, swallowing videoendoscopic and video fluoroscopic (VF) were often used. As a quantitative evaluation method, Manofluorography, which synchronizes the VF image and the swallowing pressure waveform, was used. Swallowing pressure measurement, which is one of the swallowing function evaluations, can quantitatively assess abnormalities in swallowing dynamics caused by abnormalities in muscle tone and contraction timing from the aspect of pressure and time, and to know the pathogenesis of dysphagia. It can get very useful information. In the case of Manofluorography, several (2 to 4) pressure sensors were mounted at intervals of several centimeters, and the pressure receiving part is unidirectional, and only partial evaluation can be made.