Características do sistema estomatognático de crianças respiradoras orais: enfoque antroposcópico***** Characteristics of the stomatognathic system of mouth breathing children: anthroposcopic approach

Background: the use of anthroposcopy in the assessment of posture and morphology of the stomatognathic system of mouth breathing children. Aim: to describe the postural and morphologic characteristics of the stomatognathic system of mouth breathing children, according to age. Method: participants were 100 children, of both genders, with ages ranging from 7 to 11 years and 11 months, leukoderms, in mixed dentition and with the diagnosis of mouth breathing. The investigated postural and morphologic characteristics of the stomatognathic system were labial and lingual resting position, possibility of labial occlusion, hyperfunction of the mentalis muscle during labial occlusion, bite and morphology of the lower lip, cheeks and hard palate, using the anthroposcopy methodology. Results: the results referring to the characterization of the studied population, according to the most frequent otorhinolaryngologic diagnosis, was of enlarged pharyngeal and palatine tonsils. A statistically significant difference was found between the percentages of each otorhinolaryngologic diagnosis, according to age. The results of the characteristics of the stomatognathic system indicated that the most common aspects in the studied sample were: half-open lips when in the resting position, tongue lowered on the mouth’s floor in the resting position, possibility of labial occlusion, hyperfunction of the mentalis muscle during labial occlusion, alterations of bite, labioverted, symmetry of the cheeks and alteration of the hard palate. All of the studied characteristics presented the same frequency with the increase in age, with no statistically significant difference. Conclusion: mouth breathing children presented pathologic adaptations in the postural and morphological characteristics of the stomatognathic system. This suggests the importance of early diagnosis in order to avoid orofacial alterations.