La respiración bucal como hábito que promueve la maloclusión en pacientes pediátricos

Abstract

Malocclusions are an oral health problem that involves both problems in the alignment of the teeth and the relationship between both dental arches. Some oral habits can affect occlusal harmony, among them, the habit of mouth breathing. The objective of the research is to determine the correlation between mouth breathing habit and malocclusion in pediatric patients. The study consisted of a bibliographic review in which six articles that met the inclusion criteria were included. The main cause of mouth breathing habit in pediatric patients is upper airway obstruction. This changes the pattern of craniofacial growth with typical characteristics for facial features and dentition, including a long face, contraction of the upper dental arch, high arched palate, gummy smile, both class II and class III dental malocclusion. It also alters the vertical and transverse growth of the craniofacial complex. It is associated with higher anterior and lower facial height and a shorter maxillary intermolar distance.