Lip seal training in the treatment of skeletal open bite.

Insofar as functional disorders are assumed to play a part in causing skeletal open bite, incompetent lip posture appears to be of primary concern. Lip seal training with Function Regulators as exercise devices in the vestibule has been proved to be effective in overcoming poor posture of the whole of the orofacial musculature. It is suggested that the lack of anterior oral seal is a symptom of behavioural immaturity which points to the psychosocial aspects of poor postural control of the orofacial musculature. Lip seal training with Function Regulators is a suitable means of activating and improving the tone of the muscles creating the anterior oral seal and suspending the mandible in a proper postural position. In applying such functional orthopaedics we are faced with complex psychosomatic problems. Some instructions are given for clinical management.