title: Comparision of orofacial airway dimensions in subject with different breathing pattern.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the null hypothesis that there is no significant difference in the craniofacial morphology and orofacial airway dimensions between mouth breathing (MB) and nasal breathing (NB) subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lateral cephalometric radiographs of 34 MB subjects (mean age: 12.8±1.5 years; range: 12.0-15.2 years) and 33 NB subjects (mean 13.9±1.3 years; age range: 12.2-15.8 years) with Class I occlusion were examined. Totally, 34 measurements (27 craniofacial and 7 orofacial airway) were evaluated. Group differences were statistically evaluated by independent samples t-test at p<0.05 levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistical comparisons showed that SNA (p<0.01), ANB (p<0.01), A to N perp (p<0.05), convexity (p<0.05), IMPA (p<0.05) and overbite (p<0.05) measurements were significantly lower in MB group when compared to NB group. However, SN-MP (p<0.01) and PP-GoGn (p<0.01) from angular measurements and S-N (p<0.05) and anterior facial height (p<0.05) from linear measurements were significantly higher in MB subjects. Among orofacial airway measurements, only upper posterior airway space was found significantly higher(p<0.001) in MB than NB subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The null hypothesis was rejected. Mouth breathing affects craniofacial morphology and orofacial airway dimensions.
authors.affiliation: Research Assistant, Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Faruk I
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Ucar
authors.forename: Tancan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uysal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000473:pathology*; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008445:Maxillofacial Development; D009058:Mouth Breathing / Q000473:pathology*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D011859:Radiography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012119:Respiration; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology; D014716:Vertical Dimension