Possible causal relationships between competitive swimming in growing age and three-dimensional dentoalveolar development

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate possible links between competitive swimming during the growth phase and the development of the dentoalveolar arches. METHODS The study sample included 100 swimmers and a control group of 100 age-matched non-swimmers who had never practised swimming or related sports. Subjects who had had previous orthodontic treatment were excluded. Overjet, overbite, sagittal and transverse parameters, arch dimension, crowding and oral habits were recorded. RESULTS In the swimmers, there was a significantly higher frequency of molar symmetry (P=0.04), together with a greater number of Class I subjects. The overjet in the swimmers was mainly normal, but the arch dimensions were significantly wider (+10% in the upper arch; P<0.001). Similarly, the swimmers showed significantly less severe crowding (P<0.001) and significantly reduced oral habits (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Our data and analysis demonstrate that competitive swimming during the growth phase has a favourable effect on dental arch development in the sagittal, vertical and transverse planes.