For decades, dentistry and otolaryngology have treated the mouth and nose as separate systems, with breathing problems referred to an ear, nose, and throat specialist and jaw or dental deformities referred to an orthodontist. New research from the Center for Translational Orthodontics Research (CTOR), published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, challenges that division, positing that inadequate growth of the upper jaw can significantly alter nasal cavity development and nasal floor angulation, contributing to nasal septum deviation.
The findings may help explain a trend that has puzzled researchers: the rising prevalence of upper jaw, or maxillary, constriction. CTOR researchers argue the increase cannot be attributed to evolution, since genetic and evolutionary shifts occur over thousands of years, not recent decades.
Instead, the researchers point to factors including allergies; chronic disease; enlarged tonsils or adenoids; and softer, more processed diets that reduce chewing forces -- a trend that coincided with industrialization.
According to the study, maxillary constriction paired with a shifted mandible can generate forces that tilt the nasal cavity floor, leading to nasal septum deviation, a leading cause of nasal obstruction and mouth breathing. That obstruction in turn can impair growth of the maxilla and mandible, contributing to a cycle involving narrow jaws, increased facial height, open bite, and speech and sleep problems.
A related study, published in the European Journal of Medical Research, found that chewing forces affect the structure of the nasal septum itself. In open-bite cases, where the front teeth do not generate normal biting force, cartilage in the nasal septum, which normally helps absorb chewing-related impact, is replaced by bone, reducing its protective function.
CTOR researchers say the findings support early diagnosis and interceptive orthodontic treatment. Maxillary expanders, a common orthopedic appliance, can correct upper jaw constriction and may also correct associated nasal septum deviation and facial asymmetry when applied during childhood growth.
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