Analyzing effects on anterior open bite in twins by PLS-SEM and sobel test.

Area of Science:

• Oral health and developmental biology
• Genetics and environmental influences on craniofacial development
• Pediatric dentistry and orthodontics

Background:

• Anterior open bite (AOB) is a complex dental condition influenced by various factors.
• Understanding the interplay of genetic and environmental factors is crucial for AOB prevention and treatment.
• Twin studies offer a unique model to disentangle genetic from environmental influences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the pathways linking zygosity, atypical swallowing, mouth breathing, breastfeeding, and bottle feeding to anterior open bite (AOB) in twins.
• To elucidate the direct and indirect effects of these factors on AOB development.
• To provide detailed insights into the multifactorial etiology of AOB.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 3-15-year-old monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins was studied.
• Oral examinations recorded AOB, atypical swallowing, mouth breathing, feeding type, bottle use duration, and mouth opening during sleep.
• Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and Sobel tests analyzed variable relationships and mediation effects.

Main Results:

• Mouth breathing significantly influenced zygosity and was linked to atypical swallowing (p=0.001).
• Atypical swallowing directly contributed to AOB (p=0.001) and mediated the effect of mouth breathing on AOB.
• Breastfeeding reduced AOB incidence (p=0.023), whereas bottle feeding increased it (p=0.046).

Conclusions:

• Mouth breathing and atypical swallowing form a causal chain leading to AOB.
• Zygosity indirectly affects AOB through its influence on mouth breathing and subsequent atypical swallowing.
• Breastfeeding promotes proper stomatognathic system development, reducing AOB prevalence.