[Effect of adverse oral habits on the development of the dentomaxillary system]

Main features of the dentomaxillary system (breathing, chewing, swallowing) are provided by the rhythmic movements of the mandible, tongue, lips, mimic muscles, learned during ontogenesis and coordinated neuromusculary and largely automated.

The aim of our study was to prove the role of oral habits in the development of dentomaxillary anomalies. We made experimental investigations--model studies, fotostatic test for face and side face, radiological examinations, clinical general and ENT exam for accurately assess of the factors which contribute to the emergence and development of dentomaxillary anomalies.

The study group consisted of 175 children (94 girls and 81 boys) aged between 7 and 14 years. We made individual sheets for recording neuromuscular and oropharyngeal balance starting from a patient's overall clinical appearance.

The diagnosis of most teenagers was first Angle's class of malocclusion with tongue thrusting and mouth breathing. Oral habits disrupt the muscular balance and bone growth producing changes in the dental arch and ocllusal characteristics. The high prevalence of dentomaxillary anomalies (52.57%) and obvious interrelationship with functional imbalances of the dentomaxillary system (62.82% of subjects examined) supports the implication of functional factors in those etiology.

Suppression of vicious habits by methods of awareness, myogymnastic and functional reducing exercises are the first steps of early functional treatment for dentomaxillary anomalies.