PURPOSE: to check the relationship between malocclusion and deleterious oral habits in a group of mouth breathing. METHODS: this study was accomplished through data analysis of 41 children handbooks, with ages between 7 and 12 years, being 21 of masculine gender and 20 of feminine gender, all mouth breathing. The collected information was organized in a database using an Excel program, considering the variables: age, gender, presence and type of oral habit, and presence and type of malocclusion. RESULTS: all children presented some type of malocclusion, with prevalence of class II of Angle, and accentuated overjet; among the habits, the more incident was placement of objects in the mouth, although all children have showed one, or more deleterious habits; in crossing the variables, the only significant statistical relationship found was between the habit of licking lips and accentuated overjet. CONCLUSIONS: we may conclude that, in this sample, the presence of deleterious habits were not decisive for installation of malocclusions, that the mouth breathing might have unchained the malocclusions in this group and that, the association of the deleterious habits with the mouth breathing, might have acted as aggravating factor for the installation, or development of the malocclusions in these children.
Mouth Breathing; Malocclusion; Habits
