Geniohyoid and genioglossus muscles: Effect of experimental section

In five young sibling New Zealand white rabbits the muscular complex on the lingual side of the midline of the mandible was severed and a V-shaped piece of bone with the midline muscular attachments was removed from the lower border. In five control rabbits an incision was made down to the lower border but there was no further operative interference. There was no appreciable difference in weight gain between the two groups over a period of 8 weeks. All animals had difficulty in “swallowing” for 2 weeks, and two of the experimental animals gave evidence of such difficulty at 8 weeks. Firm muscular reattachments in the midline of the mandible had occurred in all the experimental animals when examined at the end of the eighth week.