Correlation between Oral Respiration and Dental Abnormalities

Oral respiration is considered as an important etiological factor of anomalies in the orofacial region. Many studies have shown a correlation between the manner of respiration and antero-posterior relation of the jaws. Aim of this study was to find out the frequency of patients with oral respiration and to determine the reason for oral respiration, as well as to examine different anomalies caused by oral respiration and to determine the success of treatment of the dento-facial anomalies. From 230 patients with different dental and skeletal anomalies, 16% had oral respiration. The patients were selected based on the kind of nasal pathologies (structural, mucosal and mixed), and the kind of malocclusion. Intra-oral radiological examinations were performed. Orthodontic treatment was planned regarding the kind of anomaly. Authors concluded that the precise discovery of the reason of nasal obstruction prior to orthodontic treatment significantly contributes to the success of treatment.