Características orofaciais de respiradores bucais adultos

Abstract

Introduction: Mouth breathing (MB) happens when nasal breathing (NB) is impeded by obstructive factors or by habit. This change in the breathing pattern requires adaptations in the resting posture and in the performance of functions of the stomatognathic system to allow the passage of air through the oral cavity. Such alterations can affect the occlusal stability and directional bone growth of individuals with MB. Studies involving adult mouth breathers were carried out to a lesser extent. Objective: The aim of this study was to carry out a literature review on the orofacial characteristics in adult mouth breathing patients and the relationship between MB and dental malocclusion. Methods: Search for articles published between 1969 and 2020 in the PubMed database, focusing on recent literature. The descriptors Mouth Breath, Oral Breath, Occlusion and Adult were used in an isolated and combined way. Some studies that were included in the references of the selected articles were also consulted. Results: The evaluated literature indicates that mouth breathing adults undergo adaptive changes in the stomatognathic system when at rest and when functioning. Occlusal changes include maxillary protrusion, anterior open bite, mandibular retrognathism, greater tendency to develop posterior crossbite, and Angle Class II malocclusion. As for facial changes, MB can lead adults to show aspects indicative of premature aging such as dark circles, wrinkles under the eyes and mental sulcus. Among the studies consulted, no greater predisposition to caries involvement was reported, but it was related to a lower response to periodontal treatment. Conclusion: Knowledge about the occurrence of persistent dental sequelae in adult mouth breathers can be of great value in the development of strategies for diagnosis and treatment and knowledge as a perpetuating factor of certain oral conditions. Despite all the findings, there is no unanimity among the studies regarding the orofacial characteristics found in adult mouth breathers, only that these are generally milder in this age group.