The Journal
This controversy continued into the present
century with Korbitz 11 (1910), Lischer12 (1912),
11
and James (1913), who promoted the idea that
mouth breathing is a significant etiologic factor
in malocclusion. Others contributing to this view
11
11
included Kantorowicz (1916), Wustrow
13
(1917), and Morrison (1931). To his credit,
Morrison at last, stated that the issue was
unresolved and that research efforts had been
little more than clinical speculation up to that
point. He called for a more critical scientific
approach to the problem.
14
Neivert (1939) restated the theory of muscular
imbalance and regarded the adenoids as
occlusions in the airway sufficient to induce
breathing through the mouth. Ballenger and
11
11
Ballenger (1940) and McCoy (1946) agreed;
however, Hartsook15
(1946), in a review of contemporary
epidemiologic research, could not conclude
that mouth breathing is an etiologic factor in the
18
production of malocclusion. Sprawson (1947)
emphasized the role of nasopharyngeal
lymphoid tissues and mucosa and proposed
that malnutrition often resulted in the infection of
these tissues, thereby occluding the airway and
increasing the probability of bronchitis and
ricketts.
Several other factors that might predispose to
mouthbreathing were suggested by
18
Bowman (1951); small nostril size, nose tip too
low, deviated septum, enlarged or obstructive
turbinates, swelling of the membranes, nasal
polyps, and improper chewing.
Fig 4 : Figure showing difference between a normal and deviated nasal septum
Fig 5 : Figure showing nasal poylp
39
Vol. 14 No. 2
May-August 2018