Orofacial myofunctional characteristics of oral and oronasal breathers

ABSTRACT Purpose: to compare the variables of the Orofacial Evaluation with Scores Protocol between nasal, oral and oronasal breathers. Methods: a sample consisting of three distinct groups subdivided into nasal, oral and oronasal breathers, both genders, with ages ranging from 6 to 12 years. The characteristics of the orofacial musculature were measured using the protocol. Results: there was a significant difference between oral and oronasal breathers compared to nasal ones (p=0.0007) in specific variables such as palatal conformation (p=0.0073); mobility of tongue (p: 0.0111) and lip (p=0.0451), with a significant difference between the groups evaluated, also observed for the total protocol score (p=0.0007) and posture (p: 0.0073), where the nasal respirators differ from the oral and oronasal ones, the latter being similar. As for lip (p=0.0451) and tongue (p=0.0111) mobility, the groups studied presented different results among themselves. Conclusion: when comparing the groups of oral and oronasal breathers, in relation to the variables of the AMIOFE protocol, no statistically significant difference was seen between these two groups, which allows the conclusion that the orofacial myofunctional behavior between oral and oronasal breathers in this research, was similar.

摘要
目的：对比鼻呼吸者、口呼吸者及口鼻联合呼吸者在《口面部评估评分方案》（Orofacial Evaluation with Scores Protocol，下文简称AMIOFE）中的各项评估变量。
方法：本研究纳入3组独立样本，分别为鼻呼吸、口呼吸及口鼻联合呼吸受试者，涵盖不同性别，年龄范围为6~12岁。采用该方案对受试者的口面部肌肉特征进行测量。
结果：在腭部形态（p=0.0073）、舌活动度（p=0.0111）及唇活动度（p=0.0451）等特定变量中，口呼吸者与口鼻联合呼吸者相较于鼻呼吸者均存在显著统计学差异（p=0.0007）；各组评估结果间亦存在显著差异，总评分（p=0.0007）与姿势（p=0.0073）指标同样显示，鼻呼吸者与口呼吸者、口鼻联合呼吸者存在差异，而后两类受试者结果相近。就唇活动度（p=0.0451）与舌活动度（p=0.0111）而言，三组受试者的结果两两存在差异。
结论：对比口呼吸者与口鼻联合呼吸者的AMIOFE方案各项变量，两组间未发现统计学意义上的显著差异，由此可得出本研究结论：本次研究中口呼吸者与口鼻联合呼吸者的口面部肌功能行为特征相近。