Mouth breathing may cause deformities on the dental arch and be a risk factor for caries and periodontal disease; fixed orthodontic appliances compound the problem. AIM: to evaluate mineralization of tooth enamel and the oral cariogenic microbiota of mouth breathers that are using maxillary expanders. MATERIAL AND METHOD: a prospective study of 20 mouth-breathing patients with maxillary atresia, aged from 09 to 13 years. Enamel mineralization was measured using a fluorescence technique, before installing the expander and after its removal. The cariogenic microbiota was evaluated by the No Caries®. The t test (p<0.05) was applied for the statistical analysis, and the oral microbiota was analyzed by incidence. RESULTS: there was a statistically significant difference in the enamel mineralization level after maxillary expansion; the mean value was 3.08. The colorimetric test showed that the caries development potential was reduced in 45%, increased in 15%, and unaltered in 40% after maxillary expander use. CONCLUSION: there was a statistically significant difference in enamel mineralization after maxillary expansion; this difference was within the clinically normal range; the cariogenic potential increased in a small number of patients during orthodontic treatment.
tooth demineralization; lasers; mouth breathing; palatal expansion technique
