• About
  • Editorial Board
  • Current Issue
  • Early access
  • Archive
Search
EJPD
  • About
  • Editorial Board
  • Current Issue
  • Early access
  • Archive
  • Sioi
  • Guidelines for Authors
  • Article submission
  • Terms of use
  • Privacy
Home Association between oral habits, mouth breathing and malocclusion in Italian preschoolers

Association between oral habits, mouth breathing and malocclusion in Italian preschoolers

Authors:

  • E. G. Paolantonio
    Dental and Maxillofacial Institute, Head and Neck Department, Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
  • N. Ludovici
    Dental and Maxillofacial Institute, Head and Neck Department, Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
  • S. Saccomanno
    Dental and Maxillofacial Institute, Head and Neck Department, Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
  • G. La Torre
    Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
  • C. Grippaudo
    Dental and Maxillofacial Institute, Head and Neck Department, Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23804/ejpd.2019.20.03.07

ABSTRACT


Aim

This cross-sectional study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of malocclusion and associated factors in preschoolers with the aim of assessing the existence of an association between bad habits and mouth breathing with the most severe malocclusions.

Material and methods

A sample of 1616 children aged 3–6 years was visited by applying the Baby ROMA index, an orthodontic treatment need index for preschool age. The following were searched: the prevalence of malocclusion, the association of bad habits and mouth breathing with malocclusion, how often are found in association and how this association is statistically significant. Chi-square and Fischer test were applied to verify the statistical significance of the association between the variables.

Results

The data show that 38% of the sample need orthodontic treatment and 46% have signs of malocclusion of less severe degree that require a close monitoring and the elimination of risk factors so that they can improve spontaneously with growth. Moreover the prevalence of bad habits and oral breathing increases with increasing severity of the malocclusion, and sucking habits and oral breathing are both closely related to anterior open bite, posterior crossbite and increased overjet.

Conclusion

In the context of prevention and early treatment of disorders of the craniofacial growth, bad habits and mouth breathing, being risk factors of malocclusion, should be intercepted and corrected early on to prevent the development of malocclusion, or the worsening of existing ones. From this point of view it is important to follow the patients with a multidisciplinary approach.

PLUMX METRICS

Download PDF

Publication date:

September /2019

Issue:

Vol.20 – n.3/2019

Page:

204 – 208

Publisher:

Ariesdue

Cite:


Harvard: E. G. Paolantonio, N. Ludovici, S. Saccomanno, G. La Torre, C. Grippaudo (2019) "Association between oral habits, mouth breathing and malocclusion in Italian preschoolers", European Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, 20(3), pp204-208. doi: 10.23804/ejpd.2019.20.03.07
Vancouver: E. G. Paolantonio, N. Ludovici, S. Saccomanno, G. La Torre, C. Grippaudo. Association between oral habits, mouth breathing and malocclusion in Italian preschoolers. European Journal of Paediatric Dentistry [Internet]. 2019Sep.1 [cited 2025May.13];20(3):204-208. Available from: https://www.ejpd.eu/abstract-pubmed/association-between-oral-habits-mouth-breathing-and-malocclusion-in-italian-preschoolers/
MLA: E. G. Paolantonio, N. Ludovici, S. Saccomanno, G. La Torre, C. Grippaudo Association between oral habits, mouth breathing and malocclusion in Italian preschoolers. European Journal of Paediatric Dentistry. 2019;20(3):204-208

Copyright (c) 2021 Ariesdue

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Linkedin
WhatsApp
Email
Print
    webfactory.bm24
    Editor in chief: dott. Luigi Paglia
    European Journal of Paediatric Dentistry © | ISSN (Online): 2035-648X
    powered by Ariesdue

    CONTACT US
    • About
    • Editorial Board
    • Current Issue
    • Early access
    • Archive
    European Journal of Paediatric Dentistry © | ISSN (Online): 2035-648X
    Registrazione del Tribunale di Milano n. 285 del 14.04.1998 | ROC 1946 - 26.09.2001
    /* ----------------------------------------- */ /* Modello di contenuto: Abstracts PubMed - inizio */ /* ----------------------------------------- */ /* ----------------------------------------- */ /* Modello di contenuto: Abstracts PubMed - fine */ /* ----------------------------------------- */