02/11/2026
Chronic mouth breathing does more than affect how we breathe as it can influence how the face and jaws develop.
When nasal airflow is reduced, posture often shifts to oral breathing. This can lead to a lower tongue position, decreased lateral support of the maxilla, and ultimately a narrower upper jaw. As the maxilla narrows, arch perimeter is reduced, frequently presenting later as dental crowding.
Traditionally, crowding has often led to extraction based treatment plans. However, when appropriate, maxillary expansion should also be considered to address the underlying structural limitations rather than simply creating space by removing teeth.
Understanding airway, growth, and structure allows us to treat more than just the alignment, it allows us to treat the cause.