Purpose: To demonstrate the speech-language pathology practice in patients pre and post orthognathic surgery.

Abstract

The Speech-Language Pathologist is the health professional with full graduation on Speech-Language Pathology, who acts independently both in public and private services.  The professional is responsible for health promotion, prevention, assessment and diagnose, guidance, therapy (habilitation and rehabilitation) and improvement of speech-language pathology features as peripheral and central hearing function, vestibular function, oral language and writing, voice, fluency, speech articulation and myofunctional orofacial system, cervical, and swallowing. Also, the professional practices teaching, research and managerial activities (2 Speech-Language Pathology Regional Council definition – CRFa2). Currently, the Federal Speech-Language Pathology Council (CFF) recognizes 12 specialties: Audiology, Language, Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders, Collective Health, Voice, Dysphagia, Educational Speech-Language Pathology, Gerontology, Neurofunctional Speech Therapy, Occupational Health Speech-Language Pathology, Neuropsychology, and Fluency. Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders: the Speech-Language Pathologist is the professional who habilitates / rehabilitates breathing, sucking, chewing, swallowing, facial expression and speech articulation which provides better life and communication conditions (CRFa2). In 1997, at Dentistry Faculty of Sao Paulo University – USP, I started as assistant Speech-Language Pathologist in research and clinic of patients from the Traumatology Orthognathic Surgery, Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction, and Face Trauma; since then working in rehabilitation of orthognathic patients. The Speech-Language Pathologist compose the multidisciplinary team, which is essential during pre-surgery orofacial myofunctional disorder assessment and to contribute to virtual surgery planning; and after, rehabilitating the function speeding up the recovery and results. The Speech-Language Pathologist works to organize the neuromotor programming after the bones bases relocation always aiming the function according to each patient features, to assess possible adaptations and inappropriate myofunctional compensations, awareness/ comprehension/ muscle memory and functional activation. Therapeutic resources that assist clinical practice:  drainage of facial edema, cryotherapy, thermotherapy, laser therapy, electrical stimulation, surface electromyography (all resources part of the professional speech-language pathologist practice).