The effect of mode of breathing on craniofacial growth--revisited

TLDR

Large adenoids obstruct nasal breathing, causing mouth breathing and an adenoid face with a narrow upper arch, increased anterior face height, a steep mandibular plane angle, and a retrognathic mandible, and adenoidectomy can accelerate mandibular growth and reduce the mandibular plane angle. Abnormal nocturnal growth hormone secretion and somatic growth impairment in these children normalize after adenotonsillectomy.

Abstract

It has been maintained that because of large adenoids, nasal breathing is obstructed leading to mouth breathing and an ‘adenoid face’, characterized by an incompetent lip seal, a narrow upper dental arch, increased anterior face height, a steep mandibular plane angle, and a retrognathic mandible. This development has been explained as occurring by changes in head and tongue position and muscular balance. After adenoidectomy and change in head and tongue position, accelerated mandibular growth and closure of the mandibular plane angle have been reported. Children with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) have similar craniofacial characteristics as those with large adenoids and tonsils, and the first treatment of choice of OSA children is removal of adenoids and tonsils. It is probable that some children with an adenoid face would nowadays be diagnosed as having OSA. These children also have abnormal nocturnal growth hormone (GH) secretion and somatic growth impairment, which is normalized following adenotonsillectomy.