The Journal
One of the first to suggest the possible role of
the tongue in the development of the high palate
11
was Meyer (1870), who felt that a low tongue
position associated with mouthbreathing
resulted in unopposed buccal forces on the
maxillary dentition. This imbalance would cause
the dental arches to collapse lingually. Tomes 11
(1872) and Korner 11 (1891) supported this view,
adding that the lips apart posture of mouth
breathers was a further disturbing factor in the
equilibrium that determines the position of
11
teeth. Kingsley (1879), who in many ways was
ahead of his time; thought that dentofacial
morphology was predominantly under genetic
control and disputed the environmentalist views
of his contemporaries.
Fig 2 : Adenoidal blockage seen in the
lateral cephalogram
Fig 3 : Position of tongue in normal and obstructive breathing during sleep
38
Vol. 14 No. 2
May-August 2018