The aim of this retrospective case-control study is to determine a possible correlation between breathing mode and craniofacial morphology. The study was carried out in the Department of Pedodontics,Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The sample comprised 80 patients, age between 6 and 13 years, which were divided in two groups based on respiratory pattern: control group composed of 38 nasal breathing children and case group composed of 42 oral breathing children. Three quantitative craniofacial parameters were measured from the frontal and lateral photos: facial index, lower facial height ratio and upper lip ratio. The statistical analysis showed a significant higher facial index (p=0.006*) and an increase lower facial height (p=0.033*) for the oral breathers group. No differences in facial morphology were found between genders and age groups, when comparing the data between the same type of respiratory pattern children. Spearman�s rho Correlation show a significant positive correlation (p=0.002*) between facial index and lower facial height and a significant negative correlation between facial index and upper lip (p=0,005*). Long faces children are more likely to develop oral breathing in certain conditions, which subsequently have a negative effect on increasing the lower facial height by altering the postural behavior of mandible and tongue.
Anterior cervical spine surgery-associated complications in a retrospective case-control study
