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Facial characteristics of children who breathe through the mouth
Insights
Mouth breathing in children with allergies is linked to distinct facial changes, including longer faces and narrower jaws. This study provides evidence for the impact of abnormal breathing patterns on facial development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Orthodontics
- Allergology
Background:
- Abnormal breathing patterns, particularly mouth breathing, are frequently claimed to influence facial growth.
- However, controlled data supporting these claims are limited, necessitating further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between mouth breathing due to allergies and specific facial characteristics in children.
- To compare facial morphology in children with and without allergies who exhibit different breathing patterns.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated 30 children (6-12 years) with allergies and moderate-to-severe nasal mucosal edema, exhibiting mouth breathing.
- Assessed 15 healthy children with normal nasal findings and predominant nasal breathing.
- Utilized intraoral clinical examinations and cephalometric radiograph analysis for all subjects.
Main Results:
- Children who predominantly mouth-breathed exhibited significantly longer faces compared to nasal breathers.
- Mouth breathers presented with narrower maxillae (upper jaw width).
- Retruded jaws (mandibular position) were also observed more frequently in mouth-breathing children.
Conclusions:
- The findings support the hypothesis that children with nasal obstruction and mouth breathing patterns possess distinct facial characteristics.
- Mouth breathing in allergic children is associated with dolichofacial patterns, narrower mid-facial width, and a retrognathic mandible.
- This highlights the importance of addressing nasal obstruction and breathing patterns in pediatric populations for optimal facial development.
Abstract:
There are many claims that abnormal breathing patterns alter facial growth; however, there are limited controlled data to confirm these claims. Thirty children with allergy, aged 6 to 12 years, who had moderate-to-severe nasal mucosal edema on physical examination and who appeared to breathe predominantly through the mouth and 15 children without allergy who had normal findings from nasal examination and who appeared to breathe predominantly through the nose were evaluated. All subjects received an intraoral clinical examination and cephalometric radiograph analysis. In comparison with children who breathed through the nose, children who breathed through the mouth had longer faces with narrower maxillae and retruded jaws. This supports the hypothesis that children with nasal obstruction and who appear to breathe through the mouth have distinctive facial characteristics.