The impact of mouth breathing on dentofacial development: A concise review

Abstract

Mouth breathing is one of the most common deleterious oral habits in children. It often results from upper airway obstruction, making the air enter completely or partially through oral cavity. In addition to nasal obstruction caused by various kinds of nasal diseases, the pathological hypertrophy of adenoids and/or tonsils is often the main etiologic factor of mouth breathing in children. Uncorrected mouth breathing can result in abnormal dental and maxillofacial development and affect the health of dentofacial system. Mouth breathers may present various types of growth patterns and malocclusion, depending on the exact etiology of mouth breathing. Furthermore, breathing through the oral cavity can negatively affect oral health, increasing the risk of caries and periodontal diseases. This review aims to provide a summary of recent publications with regard to the impact of mouth breathing on dentofacial development, describe their consistencies and differences, and briefly discuss potential reasons behind inconsistent findings.

Adenoid hypertrophy in children: a narrative review of pathogenesis and clinical relevance

“…78 AH obstructs patency of the upper respiratory tract and causes the breathing path to shift from nasal to oral. 79 For such patients, breathing is possible via the lifting of the soft palate and lowering of the root of the tongue. A permanent 'adenoid facies' is observed in the structure and appearance of the craniofacial face when there is long-lasting nasal obstruction caused by the overgrowth of adenoid tissue.…”

“…AH obstructs patency of the upper respiratory tract and causes the breathing path to shift from nasal to oral 79. For such patients, breathing is possible via the lifting of the soft palate and lowering of the root of the tongue.…”

An Overview of Mouth Breathing Syndrome and its Effect on Dental Development

“…During the growth stage, varied sites and periods of obstruction may result in comparable face patterns. As a result, children with adenoid and tonsillar hypertrophy have dentofacial development that is extremely sophisticated (24). Mouth breathing impacts maxillofacial development in children as well.…”

A Necessidade Da Multidisciplinaridade No Tratamento Do Respirador Bucal

“…A língua é posicionada em contato com o palato e lingual dos incisivos superiores. Uma força muscular equilibrada da língua (interna) e dos lábios e bochechas (externos) é crucial para o desenvolvimento de uma adequada arcada dentária 6 .…”

“…A síndrome da respiração bucal (SRB) tem sido objeto de interesse em vários estudos nas últimas décadas, sua prevalência varia de 11 a 56% em crianças a nível global 6 e tem sido considerada um problema de saúde pública no Brasil, com prevalência em crianças em idade escolar variando entre 55 e 60% 7 .…”