Orofacial profile of mouth breathing children previous to adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy

Abstract

The obstruction of the upper airways, such as hypertrophic tonsils, is the main cause of mouth breathing. Objective: to trace the orofacial myofunctional profile of mouth-breathing children previous to adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy. This is a descriptive quantitative study for data collection. Evaluations of orofacial motor function were based on the MBGR protocol. Results: 32 children with an age average of 8.9 years were evaluated; 34.4% of them were female and 65.6% male; breastfeeding and oral habits prevailed. The main complaints were oral breathing and snoring. Most were referred for adenotonsillectomy. The body posture was normal in 68.8% of the cases. There was a prevalence of parted lips and tongue in the mouth floor, Angle Class II malocclusion, besides hypertrophic tonsils. Snoring was described in 100% of the sample. Atypical swallowing was present in 77.4% of the sample. The articulation was predominantly normal, and articular changes were observed in males. Parted lips were related to atypical swallowing. Conclusion: the collected data did not differ from the literature regarding obstructive oral breathing. There is an open space for new research that embraces both pre- and postoperatory moments, providing a longitudinal monitoring of children.