PURPOSE: To investigate the existence of a relationship between facial type and dental occlusion in oral breathing adolescents. METHODS: Forty adolescents, 25 (62.50%) boys and 15 (37. 50%) girls, with ages between 13 and 16 years and otorhinolaryngological diagnosis of oral breathing, were assessed. All subjects were submitted to an anamnesis and a Clinical Exam carried out by a speech pathologist, which consisted of facial and dental occlusion evaluation. RESULTS: The most common results observed were: hyperleptoprosopic facial type in 25 (62.50%) adolescents, the Class II first division malocclusion in 22 (70.97%), normal anterior overbite in 26 (65.00%), normal posterior overbite in 32 (80.00%) and normal anterior and posterior overjet in 28 (70.00%) adolescents. In the hyperleptoprosopic facial type, top anterior overbite was observed in 06 (42.86%) and the top posterior overbite in 05 (62.50%) adolescents. Abnormal anterior overjet was observed in 04 (33.33%), the top posterior overjet and cross-bite in 05 (41.67%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: It was not possible to prove the existence of a relationship between facial type and dental occlusion. The most frequently observed facial type was hyperleptoprosopic. The Class II first division was the most frequently observed malocclusion. The study of overjet and overbite showed a larger number of normal cases.
Dental arch; Dental occlusion; Malocclusion; Face; Mouth breathing; Adolescents
