Transverse maxillary dimensions and upper airway morphology in mouth- and nasal-breathing children aged 10–12 years: A CBCT-based study

TL;DR

Mouth breathing in children aged 10–12 is linked to narrower maxillary arches and smaller upper airway spaces compared to nasal breathing.

Contribution

This study provides CBCT-based evidence of the impact of mouth breathing on maxillary and airway morphology in children.

Findings

Mouth breathers had significantly reduced maxillary arch widths at multiple measurement points.

Mouth breathing was associated with smaller nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal volumes and areas.

All measured parameters showed statistically significant differences between mouth and nasal breathers.

Abstract

Mouth breathing (MB) is a dysfunctional respiratory pattern that may affect craniofacial development by altering maxillary arch width and upper pharyngeal airway morphology. Early identification is critical to prevent long-term dentofacial and airway complications. This study aimed to compare maxillary arch width and upper airway morphology between mouth- and nasal-breathing children aged 10–12 years using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT).

In this cross-sectional study, 30 children (15 mouth breathers and 15 nasal breathers) underwent CBCT imaging. Transverse maxillary arch dimensions were measured at four points: maxillary width at molars (MWM), intermolar width (IMW), maxillary width at canines (MWC), and intercanine width (ICW). Upper airway morphology was assessed using volumetric (nasopharyngeal volume [NPV], oropharyngeal volume [OPV]) and cross-sectional area (nasopharyngeal area [NPA], oropharyngeal area [OPA]) measurements. Independent t-tests were used to compare group differences with 95 % confidence level.

The MB group showed significantly reduced maxillary arch widths (MWM, IMW, MWC, ICW) and diminished upper airway volume and area (NPV, OPV, NPA, OPA) compared to nasal breathers (p < 0.001 for all parameters).

Mouth breathing in school-aged children is associated with measurable reductions in maxillary arch width and upper pharyngeal airway dimensions.

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