Tongue Posture

Abstract

Orthodontists have never agreed as to whether the tongue plays a primarily adaptive role in dental abnormalities or whether, at times, it can create a malocclusion. An hypothesis is put forward suggesting that, in the short term, the former is true but that, in the long term, bone will respond to posture. Some clinical cases are presented to illustrate various points and attention is drawn to the changes in lip form that can result from muscle activity.