Breathing mode influence in craniofacial development.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in facial proportions of nose and mouth breathing children using cephalometric analysis.


METHODS
Transversal cohort.


METHODS
Sixty cephalometric radiographs from pediatric patients aged 6 to 10 years were used. After otorhinolaryngological evaluation, patients were divided into two groups: Group I, with mouth breathing children and group II, with nose breathers. Standard lateral cephalometric radiographs were obtained to evaluate facial proportions using the following measures: SN.GoGn, ArGo.GoMe, N-Me, N-ANS, ANS-Me and S-Go; and the following indexes: PFH-AFH ratio: S-Go/N-Me; LFH-AFH ratio: ANS-Me/N-Me and UFH-LFH ratio: N-ANS/ANS-Me.


RESULTS
It was observed that the measurements for the inclination of the mandibular plane (SN.GoGn) in mouth breathing children were statistically higher than those in nasal breathing children. The posterior facial height was statistically smaller than the anterior one in mouth breathing children (PFH-AFH ratio). Thus, the upper anterior facial height was statistically smaller than the lower facial height (UFH-LFH ratio).


CONCLUSIONS
We concluded that mouth breathing children tend to have higher mandibular inclination and more vertical growth. These findings support the influence of the breathing mode in craniofacial development.
Lessa
Fernanda Campos Rosetti
FC
School of Dental Sciences, Ribeirão Preto-USP.
Enoki
Carla
C
Feres
Murilo Fernandes Neuppmann
MF
Valera
Fabiana Cardoso Pereira
FC
Lima
Wilma Terezinha Anselmo
WT
Matsumoto
Mirian Aiko Nakane
MA
D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008445:Maxillofacial Development; D009058:Mouth Breathing; D009666:Nose; D012119:Respiration; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development