title: Is the growth pattern in mouth breathers comparable with the counterclockwise mandibular rotation of nasal breathers?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate mandibular rotation and angular remodeling in mouth-breathing children compared with nasal-breathing children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample included 55 severely obstructed mouth-breathing children (mean age, 6.1 years) and 55 nasal-breathing children (mean age, 7.3 years). The cephalograms at baseline and after 1 year were traced and measured, and superimpositions were made to determine true mandibular rotation, apparent rotation, and angular remodeling. The significance level was set at 5%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mouth-breathing children had a longer face cephalometric pattern compared with nasal-breathing children. No cranial deflection differences were observed. No changes in the vertical growth pattern were observed during the 1-year period in either group. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups regarding apparent rotation (mouth breathing, -0.54°, vs nasal breathing, -0.41°). In comparison with the nasal breathers, the mouth breathers showed statistically significant lower yearly rates of counterclockwise true rotation (mouth breathing, -0.60°, vs nasal breathing, -1.31°) and angular remodeling (mouth breathing, 0.06°, vs nasal breathing, 0.87°).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mouth-breathing children had a hyperdivergent cephalometric pattern, but against all expectations, counterclockwise true mandibular and apparent rotations were the average observations. Mouth-breathing children showed less true rotation and angular remodeling than did nasal breathers; however, apparent rotations were similar.
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Clinic for Mouth-Breathers, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Letícia Paiva
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Bernardo Quiroga
authors.initials: BQ
authors.lastname: Souki
authors.forename: Tatiana Bahia J
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meyge de Brito
authors.forename: Helena M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Gonçalves Becker
authors.forename: Jorge A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pinto
mesh_terms: D016723:Bone Remodeling; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000254:growth & development*; D008445:Maxillofacial Development; D009058:Mouth Breathing / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D014716:Vertical Dimension