Dysphagia in a persistently vegetative patient improved by orthodontic treatment of severe dental misalignment.
Atsuko TamuraKohei YamaguchiChantaramanee AriyaHisako TotokiHaruka ToharaPublished in: Special care in dentistry : official publication of the American Association of Hospital Dentists, the Academy of Dentistry for the Handicapped, and the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry (2020)
The "training approach" generally used to treat severe dysphagia is usually impossible in persistently vegetative patients. In our patient, the tongue movements and saliva swallowing reflex appeared after we expanded the narrow dental arches, suggesting that an orthodontic approach can be effective in such cases. Our findings can be applied to similar cases of vegetative patients to facilitate better oral care and outcomes.