Facial Growth & Development
How Do Breathing and Oral Function Relate to Facial Development?
The tongue, lips, jaw and surrounding orofacial muscles all play an important role in oral function and the developing craniofacial system.
At rest, an ideal tongue posture involves the tongue resting comfortably against the palate, with the lips gently together and breathing occurring through the nose when nasal breathing is possible. In a growing child, persistent mouth breathing and altered oral muscle patterns may be associated with changes in craniofacial development.
Research has associated chronic mouth breathing with patterns such as increased facial height, a narrower upper jaw, altered dental position and changes in jaw posture. However, facial growth is complex and is influenced by many factors, including genetics, airway anatomy, breathing patterns, oral habits and overall development.
Sleep-disordered breathing can also affect a child's daytime functioning. Children do not always present with obvious daytime sleepiness; some may instead experience changes in attention, behaviour, mood or activity level.
What About Tongue-Tie?
A tongue-tie, or restricted lingual frenulum, does not automatically cause altered facial growth. Rather, a restriction may limit tongue mobility and make certain functional patterns more difficult to achieve.
The relationship between tongue mobility, tongue posture, breathing and craniofacial development is complex. An assessment looks at function rather than simply the appearance of the frenulum.
At Back To Your Roots, we assess oral rest posture, tongue mobility, breathing and other orofacial functional patterns to help establish healthy habits and support efficient function as children grow and develop.
Factors That Can Influence Facial Growth
Facial growth and development are influenced by many factors, including genetics, skeletal structure, airway anatomy, breathing patterns, oral habits and the way the orofacial muscles function.
Persistent mouth breathing and an open-mouth resting posture have been associated with changes in craniofacial development in growing children. When nasal breathing is difficult, the tongue may rest lower in the mouth and the lips may remain apart. Over time, altered oral posture and muscle function may be associated with changes in the development of the upper jaw, dental position and facial proportions.
A narrow upper jaw or altered jaw relationship can also be associated with dental crowding and changes in the available space for the tongue and upper airway. These relationships are complex and vary from child to child.
What Is an "Adenoid Face"?
The term "adenoid face" has historically been used to describe certain facial characteristics observed in some children with chronic nasal obstruction and enlarged adenoids.
When enlarged adenoids make nasal breathing difficult, a child may develop a persistent open-mouth posture. Chronic nasal obstruction and altered breathing patterns may be associated with changes in facial growth and oral posture.
Characteristics historically associated with adenoid facies may include:
Increased facial height or a long, narrow facial appearance
Narrow or high-arched palate
Open-mouth resting posture
Altered jaw position
Less prominent chin
Changes in lip posture
A tired or "sleepy" facial appearance
These features are not diagnostic of enlarged adenoids or sleep-disordered breathing on their own. If a child has persistent mouth breathing, nasal obstruction, snoring or other sleep concerns, appropriate medical assessment is important.
How Can Myofunctional Therapy Support Healthy Orofacial Function During Growth?
Myofunctional therapy does not change a child's underlying skeletal structure or replace orthodontic, medical or airway care. Instead, it focuses on the function of the tongue, lips, jaw and other orofacial muscles.
When functional patterns are contributing to an open-mouth resting posture, altered tongue posture, swallowing difficulties or inefficient oral muscle coordination, an orofacial myofunctional therapy assessment can help identify these patterns.
Depending on the child's individual needs, therapy may focus on:
Healthy resting tongue and lip posture
Nasal breathing habits when nasal breathing is possible
Tongue mobility and coordination
Swallowing function
Oral muscle coordination
Elimination of contributing oral habits
Because facial growth is influenced by many factors, including genetics, skeletal structure, airway anatomy and breathing patterns, children with persistent mouth breathing, nasal obstruction, snoring or other airway concerns may also benefit from assessment by the appropriate healthcare professional.
The goal is to support healthy orofacial function as a child grows and develops, while working collaboratively with dental, orthodontic, medical and other healthcare professionals when appropriate.
Nose Breather
Mouth Breather