Chronic mouth breathing, a pattern of respiration through the mouth rather than the nose, can significantly influence facial development. Nasal breathing is the natural and preferred method, filtering, warming, and humidifying inhaled air. Habitual mouth breathing bypasses these processes, leading to altered facial growth, especially in children. These long-term changes in facial structure are often called “mouth breather face.” Understanding them is the first step in exploring corrective measures.
Understanding Facial Changes from Mouth Breathing
Chronic mouth breathing alters craniofacial morphology, often called “adenoid facies” or “long face syndrome.” Individuals may develop a longer, narrower face, a recessed chin, flat cheeks, and narrower nostrils. These changes occur because an open mouth affects the tongue’s natural resting position.
Normally, the tongue rests against the roof of the mouth, guiding proper upper jaw (maxilla) and dental arch development. Mouth breathing causes the tongue to drop, removing this supportive pressure. This lack of internal support, combined with external cheek muscle pressure, can narrow the upper jaw. A narrow upper jaw can lead to dental malocclusion, such as crowded teeth, an anterior open bite, or a posterior crossbite. The underdeveloped jaw may also be set back, contributing to a recessed chin and potentially impacting airway size.
Correcting Changes in Children
Early intervention is highly effective for correcting facial changes in children due to their ongoing growth. Myofunctional therapy is a primary non-invasive approach, using specific exercises to retrain oral and facial muscles. This therapy aims to establish proper tongue posture, encourage nasal breathing, and improve lip seal, guiding jaw and facial development. By correcting tongue position, it helps guide palate and dental arch growth.
Orthodontic appliances often complement myofunctional therapy to guide facial and jaw development. Palatal expanders, for example, can widen a narrow upper jaw, creating more tongue space and improving nasal airflow. This also helps resolve crowded teeth and crossbites. Habit correction, such as discouraging thumb-sucking or pacifier overuse, is also important. Addressing these issues early prevents more severe skeletal and dental problems, promoting balanced facial growth and overall health.
Correcting Changes in Adults
While facial changes from chronic mouth breathing are more established in adults, corrective treatments remain possible, though often more extensive. Adult orthodontics addresses dental malocclusions like crowded teeth and misaligned bites. Treatments, including braces and clear aligners, can widen the dental arch and align teeth, indirectly improving nasal breathing by creating more tongue space. For a narrow upper jaw, palatal expanders, sometimes involving minimally invasive procedures like MARPE, can widen the jaw.
For severe skeletal discrepancies from prolonged mouth breathing, orthognathic surgery (jaw surgery) may be considered. This procedure corrects jaw position, offering a permanent solution for significant facial and airway issues. Myofunctional therapy also supports adult orthodontic and surgical treatments by retraining oral habits and muscle function, improving treatment stability and breathing patterns. Though the scope of change differs from children, adults can achieve substantial improvements in facial aesthetics and respiratory function.
Addressing the Root Cause of Mouth Breathing
Correcting facial structure without addressing the underlying causes of mouth breathing can lead to recurrence or continued health issues. Nasal obstruction is a primary cause, forcing individuals to breathe through their mouth. Common culprits include chronic allergies, causing nasal passage inflammation and swelling. Enlarged adenoids and tonsils, especially in children, are another frequent cause, physically blocking the nasal airway.
A deviated septum, where the wall between nasal passages is off-center, can also restrict airflow. Other factors include nasal polyps or chronic sinusitis. Identifying and treating these root causes often requires a multidisciplinary approach involving medical professionals like Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialists or allergists. Collaboration among medical doctors, dentists, and myofunctional therapists ensures a comprehensive treatment plan, addressing both structural changes and the underlying reason for mouth breathing, promoting long-term nasal breathing and facial harmony.