Changes in vertical dentofacial morphology after adeno-/tonsillectomy during deciduous and mixed dentitions mouth breathing children-1 year follow-up study

Objective: The aim of this 1 year follow-up study was to investigate, in mouth breathing children, the impact of respiration normalization on vertical dentofacial growth during two stages of dental development after adeno-/tonsillectomy. Method: Linear and angular cephalometric measurements, as well as tracing superimposition of serial lateral cephalograms of 39 patients in the treatment group were compared with those of 31 untreated mouth breathing controls. Cephalometric records in the treatment group comprised registrations made at baseline before surgery (T-0), and then at approximately 1 year post-operatively (T-1). Corresponding registrations were available for the control group, with a baseline cephalometric radiograph taken approximately 1 year before the second one (T-0 and T-1, respectively). Treatment and untreated groups were divided into deciduous and mixed dentition groups to aid the identification of an optimum timing for normalizing the respiration after T&A, under a vertical dentofacial perspective. Results: After 1 year of follow up, no statistically significant difference on vertical dentofacial growth was observed in deciduous or mixed dentitions treatment groups compared to the same occlusal developmental stage of untreated control groups. Conclusion: The results indicate that regarding the vertical dentofacial growth pattern normalization of the mode of respiration after T&A in young children (deciduous dentition) is not more effective than in older children (mixed dentition). (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.