[2 objective procedures for the assessment of motor functions after surgery of the tongue and velum].

Commonly, only radiographic procedures have been used up to now for the assessment of intraoral movements during swallowing, speech and voluntary motor activities. In this article two methods for assessing intraoral function without involving radiation exposure are described: palatography and electromagnetic articulography. Palatography is particularly useful as a screening procedure for the evaluation of certain lingual motor activities in patients who had undergone tumor surgery. Electromagnetic articulography (EMA) allows vector analyses of lingual and soft palate movements. Data of normal subjects, surgically treated cleft palate and tumor patients are demonstrated. Both methods are biologically safe and non-invasive and do not interfere to any significant degree with the functions to be analysed.