GORILLA

Myofunktional Exercise  Collect ion

Application:

An exercise for habitual or dysfunctional cramping or spasm of the region lower lip – chin, spastic tensioning of the Mentalis, “too short” soft tissue of the lower lip or its frenulum to cause a texture stretching. (Anatomy: Area I/10, 11, 12. Page 8-9)

Contents:

By patients self-practiced stretching (autostretching) here for the lower margin of the frontal vestibulum. Hold-exercise

Materials:

Not required.

Procedure:

- Previous exercises: Not essential, case specific, probably LIP-CLOSURE-Exercises.  

-Starting position: SITTING-POSITION.for the whole body, RESTING POSITION for the head.

- Step-by-step-description:

-1 The mandible sinks down, the lips stay closed – during the whole work-out.

-2 The tongue tip creeps over the incisal edges of the lower front teeth as far down into the rostral vestibulum as possible reaching its end and further continuing to press against the tissue of the pocket.

-3 The chin muscles should not be strained while the position is kept under counting, then back to the start.

-Timing:  The position in step 3 is kept under counting to 20, 30, then return to start position makes one sequence and may be repeated about five times to form a series.

Characteristics:

Crude motor, static, stretching.

Remarks:

Precaution should be taken in case of pro or ectoversion of the tongue as with simultaneous employing of applications for a retralization not to intensify the deficiency.

Discussion:

It should be minded that the patient will not stress the levator chin muscles in counterpressure. In this connection the ,I'-EXERCIS in combination as an ALTERNATIVE EXERCISE may be recommended. It engages the musculature actively in a downwards movement of the chin tissue.

Marvin Hanson describes an exercise COTTONROLL where a dental cotton roll size 2 substitutes the tongue tip. The role is kept for some time in the lower Mucous Membrane Fold of the Vestibulum – not really appealing from the hygienic point of view but it avoid a ‘banned’ tongue position.

A similar way is to use a big role of chewing gum.

(see picture).

Instructions:

How to get the chin smooth.

For the starting position the lips are gently closed. We also called that the ,M’-POSITION.

While the chin now stays back the tongue tip is creeping forward slowly and out over the lower incisors then around the corner downwards, secretly, as the lips stay shut.

It creeps as far down as possible, down into the trough between teeth and lips.

Arriving at the end it still pushes on vigorously as to deepen the trough.

When you, now, look into the mirror you will see yourself pulling a face as to imitate an ape:

The Gorilla!

Keeps this posture counting to ten.

Now go back to the POINT.

Do it five times in succession or as often, as arranged