AIM: the present study aims at investigating whether the facial pattern may cause any alterations in the performance of breathing, mastication, deglutition and speaking functions in individuals with Class III skeletal malocclusion. METHOD: data from evaluation of 50 adult patients with Class III malocclusion were analyzed, of which 25 were dolicocephalic and 15 mesocephalic. Aspects related with the habitual posture of the lips and tongue, breathing manner, masticatory type, deglutition and speaking pattern were also considered. RESULTS: the altered posture of the lips was significantly higher for the dolicocephalic group, whereas the tongue posture on the floor of the mouth was predominant in both groups considered. As for the breathing manner, it could be observed that the oral or oro-nasal manner was significantly higher for the dolicocephalic group. The presence of tongue interposition in deglutition showed itself related with the occurrence of fronting of the tongue in speech. CONCLUSIONS: the dolicocephalic type contributes towards the occurrence of alterations in the habitual lip posture as well as in the breathing and speaking functions, while the mesocephalic type has influenced the deglutition characteristics in individuals with class III skeletal malocclusion.
Malocclusion; Angle Class III; Respiration; Chewing; Deglutition; Speech
