Abstract

PULIDO VALLADARES, Yolainy et al. Cephalometric changes in mouth-breathing patients from 8-12 years old presenting upper airway obstruction. Rev Ciencias Médicas [online]. 2012, vol.16, n.5, pp. 90-103. ISSN 1561-3194.

Introduction: mouth-breathing patients presenting upper airway obstruction create conditions which favour the alteration of the dentomaxillofacial structures. Objective: to assess cephalometric changes in mouth-breathing patients from 8-12 years old presenting upper airway obstruction. Material and Method: observational and case-control study was conducted from July 2009 to April 2010. The target group comprised 11804 patients, 62 of them were included in the study, both sexes and 8 to 12 years old: 31 mouth-breathers presenting air-way impedance, diagnosed in Otolaryngology services (“cases”) and 31 non-mouth-breathers with normal occlusion (“controls”). A lateral teleradiography of the skull was taken to all patients. Percentage, mean value, standard deviation, ratio and inferential statistical tests were used: t-Student, Pearson’s chi square and Fisher’s exact probability to find association between two independent variables with a significant level of α=0.05. Results: in “cases” was found that maxillomandibular angle increased 90,9% in male patients (t=5,9) and 100% in female (t=7,4); Frankfort’s mandibular angle increased in 72,7% in male patients (t=4,4) and 70% in female (t=4,8); anteroinferior height increased 72,7% in male sex (t=2,2) and 85% in female (t=3,8); nasal-spinal distance posterior to the closer adenoid tissue, measured along the posterior basion-nasal-spine line decreased 100% in male sex and in female (t=6,4 and 9,2 respectively) with the distance of the nasal spine posterior to adenoid tissue along with perpendicular to sella turcica-basion decreased in 100% in male and female (t=5,7 and 9,5 respectively). Conclusion: cephalometric changes were present in mouth-breathing patients with upper airway obstruction.

Keywords : Malocclusion [complications]; Malocclusion [/diagnosis].

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