A study on the difference of craniofacial morphology between oral and nasal breathing children.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to compare the difference of craniofacial morphology between oral and nasal breathing children, and discover the relationship between respiratory mode and craniofacial morphology. METHODS Using the system for the simultaneous measurement of oral and nasal respiration, 34 oral breathing children and 34 nasal breathing children aged from 11 to 14 years were selected. RESULTS Compared with the nasal-breathing children, the oral-breathing children showed apparently vertical growth pattern. The mandibuler plane Angle of oral breathing children is 39.3, which is significant greater than that of nasal breathing children (P < 0.01). The jans, the oral-breathing children had shorter mandibular body, larger gonion angle, retrusive chin and face (P < 0.05). On the other hand, in the sagittal direction, the oral breathing children may display all kinds of skeletal facial types. There is no significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS Oral breathing is one of the factors related to the vertical over-development.