[Quantification of initial malocclusion according to the mode of breathing in black African children]

The relations between the mode of breathing and the development of the malocclusions were the subject of many studies causing polemic sometimes (2, 3, 7, 9, 20). In fact the impact of the mode of breathing on occlusion is not clarified yet. The goal of this study is to quantify the dental characteristics, which constitute the malocclusion according to the mode of breathing. 100 African melanoderme children old from 6 to 15 years were subjected to a rhinologic evaluation based on the nostril reflex of GUDIN and the test of ROSENTHAL (12). Of this examination these children were left again in a group of 50 nasal respirators and in another group of 50 mouth breathers. Each child underwent a radiographic examination which was used to make a cephalometric analysis and a meeting of catch of dental prints. The statistical analysis of the data recorded on the dental casts and the layouts cephalometric (test t of student) indicate that the mode of breathing is not associated standard initial malocclusion. But, when the facial divergence, which is characteristic of mouth breathing increases, the initial malocclusion becomes significant.