Stomatognathic functions and face and neck burns: systematic review

Abstract

Objective: To describe the changes in the functions of the stomatognathic system of patients that suffered burns on the face and/or neck. Method: This is a systematic review of the literature. The search was performed through the Virtual Health Library (VHL) and manual search, using the descriptors: burn, swallowing, chewing, breathing, talking, sucking, and suction. We included the articles published between 2008 and 2018 that described stomatognathic functions observed after burns of face and/ or neck. The number of participants, gender, age, etiology and degree of burn, burned body race and altered stomatognathic functions after burn were extracted by the analyses. Results: Of the 377 articles identified in the databases, 8 were selected. In addition, 3 were selected by manual search, resulting in 11 articles included. The majority of subjects were male, aged between 2 and 85 years. The body burn was performed in 5 and 80%, first of a third degree, being the majority thermal burns. Six articles describe changes in deglutition, five relate breathing impairment, three cited alteration in the articulation of speech, two in chewing and of facial expression. None cited change in sucking. Conclusion: Changes in the stomatognathic system after burn on the face and/or neck, according to the analyzed articles, where most frequently related to swallowing and breathing, especially due to post-burn edema and restriction of mobility due to hypercycatrization. Changes in speech, mastication and facial expression were observed too.