An interdisciplinary study of orthodontic, orthopedic, and otorhinolaryngological findings in 12-14-year-old preorthodontic children.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Malocclusion, the body posture, and the breathing pattern may correlate, but this issue is still controversial. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between the type of malocclusion, the body posture, and the nasopharyngeal obstruction in 12-14-year-old children.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study group consisted of 76 orthodontic patients (35 boys, 41 girls) aged 12-14 years (mean age, 12.79 years [SD, 0.98]). All the patients were examined by the same orthodontist (study model and cephalometric radiograph analysis), the same orthopedic surgeon (body posture examined from the front, the side, and the back), and the same otorhinolaryngologist (anterior and posterior rhinoscopy and pharyngoscopy) in a blind manner.

RESULTS

The prevalence of a poor body posture and a nasopharyngeal pathology was high in the present study. In total, 48.7% of the orthodontic patients had a kyphotic posture and 55.3% a rib hump in the thoracic region. The nasopharyngeal pathology was diagnosed in 78.9% of the patients. The patients with the kyphotic posture had a higher mandibular plane angle (MP-SN) and a lower sagittal position of the mandible SNB angle. A deeper overbite correlated with shoulder and scapular asymmetry. The kyphotic posture was diagnosed in 55.0% of the patients with the nasopharyngeal pathology.

CONCLUSIONS

The sagittal body posture was related to the vertical craniofacial parameters and hypertrophy of the tonsils and/or the adenoids. The study showed no relationship between the degree of crowding, the presence of a posterior cross bite, orthopedic parameters, and a breathing pattern.