Influence of the respiratory mode and nonnutritive sucking habits in the palate dimensions

ABSTRACT

Aim: To verify the influence of the respiratory mode and nonnutritive sucking habits in the transverse and vertical dimensions of the palate. Methods: Seventy-seven children aged 7 to 12 years, were divided, according the diagnosis of the respiratory mode and the presence of prolonged nonnutritive sucking habits. Models of the upper dental arc were obtained of all children for evaluation of the measures of the palate in the region of the canines, first and second premolars and first molars. These measures were analyzed by the Student’s t-test and Analysis of Variance. Tukey’s test was used for the multiple comparisons. The significance level was set at p<0.05. Results: It was verified that the mouth-breathing children showed smaller width and higher depth at the more posterior region of the palate. The children with prolonged nonnutritive sucking habits presented narrower and deeper palate at the anterior region of the palate. The canine distance was smaller in children who present mouth breathing associated to nonnutritive sucking habits and the depth at the second premolar was higher in mouth-breathers associated or not to prolonged nonnutritive sucking habits. Conclusions: The results suggest that the respiratory mode and prolonged nonnutritive sucking habits influence in the transverse and vertical palate dimensions in the children evaluated in this study.