IS MOUTH-BREATHING RELATED TO ALTERATIONS IN FACIAL SOFT TISSUES?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29327/24816.4.3-3Keywords:
Respiração bucal; obstrução nasal; tegumento comum; cefalometria; tomografia computadorizada de feixe cônicoAbstract
Objective: To compare the facial soft tissues of nasal breathers (NB) and mouth breathers (MB) using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods: This was a comparative study of four angular and eight linear
cephalometric variables obtained from the facial soft tissues of 43 young men and women aged between 11 and 24 years. Subjects had tomographic examination prior to the orthodontic treatment and were previously divided into two groups by an otolaryngologist according to the respiratory pattern of nasal or mouth
breathing. The selection was made in accordance with the results of: clinical examination, rhinoscopy, and nasal endoscopy. The data obtained from the software InVivo Dental 5.3 (Anatomage - San Jose, California) was evaluated by comparing values measured between MB and NB groups. Results: There were significant differences between groups for variables, “nasolabial angle”, inclination of upper central incisor” and “convexity of the facial soft tissues”. Conclusion: Adolescent and young adult mouth breathers present an open nasolabial angle due to the retroinclination of their upper incisors. In addition to greater convexity
of the facial soft tissues.