Tongue pressure patterns during water swallowing.

Bolus propulsion during the normal oral phase of swallowing is thought to be characterised by the sequential elevation of the front, middle, and posterior regions of the dorsum of the tongue. However, the coordinated orchestration of lingual movement is still poorly understood. This study examined how pressures generated by the tongue against the hard palate differed between three points along the midline of the tongue.

Measuring intraoral pressure: adaptation of a dental appliance allows measurement during function.

This article introduces a new way of recording intraoral pressures from a range of locations within the oral cavity. To measure pressure flow dynamics during swallowing, we fitted eight miniature pressure transducers capable of measuring absolute pressures to a chrome-cobalt palatal appliance with a labial bow. Unlike previous devices, our design provides a rigid, custom-fitted platform for the simultaneous recording of pressures at eight locations within the oral cavity during function.