Abstract
Conclusion: Surgical impaction of the maxilla for patients with vertical maxillary excess and associated skeletal, anterior openbite, is often accompanied by modifications in lip and tongue posture and tongue functions during swalJowing. Patients differ in adaptive responses to maxillary surgery for skeletal openbite conditions. Myofunctional therapy for retained problems of lip incompetence has been demonstrated to be effective in selected patients. and may also influence tongue adaptations postoperatively. Our experience with the VME [vertical maxillary excess] osteotomy patients reported in this study should encourage the inclusion of the myofunctional clinician on multidisciplinary teams dealing with facial variations. The myofunctional clinician should follow the lead of Case (1982, IJOM) in emphasizing that therapy to improve oral posturing can benefit the patient both in cosmetic and psychosocial areas.