20.500.12556/DiRROS-28807 Nasopharyngeal lymphoid tissue, breathing pattern, and articulation disorders in children with unilateral posterior crossbite controlled clinical trial Nasopharyngeal lymphoid tissue, breathing pattern, and articulation disorders in children with unilateral posterior crossbite Background: Unilateral posterior crossbite (ULCB) in early mixed dentition is associated with hereditary factors, sucking habits, and impaired nasal breathing. This study aimed to assess ear, nose, and throat (ENT) structures, orofacial functions, and articulation disorders in children with ULCB, compared to healthy controls, and to evaluate the changes after rapid maxillary expansion (RME). Methods: Thirty-one children with ULCB (mean age 7.62 ± 1.3 years) and 31 age- and gender-matched control subjects without malocclusion (mean age 7.63 ± 0.67 years) were examined by an orthodontist, an ENT specialist, and speech therapist. Children with ULCB were treated with a Haas-type maxillary expander. ENT and orofacial assessments were repeated four years after treatment. Data were analysed using chi-square, Mann-Whitney, and Wilcoxon tests. Results: At baseline, children with ULCB were significantly more likely to have impaired nasal breathing (p < 0.001), enlarged adenoids (p = 0.005), low tongue posture (p = 0.001), lip incompetence (p = 0.026), and articulation disorders (p < 0.001) compared with controls. Post-treatment evaluations revealed significant improvements in nasal breathing (p = 0.001), tongue posture (p < 0.001), adenoid size and nasopharyngeal patency (p < 0.001), mentalis muscle activity (p = 0.025), lip competence (p = 0.014), and swallowing pattern (p = 0.031). Conclusions: A unilateral posterior crossbite was associated with articulation disorders, impaired nasal breathing, tongue posture at the floor of the mouth, and enlarged adenoids in the early mixed dentition. The widening of the maxilla had a significant effect, as it improved nasopharyngeal patency as well as the breathing pattern and tongue postureBackground: Unilateral posterior crossbite (ULCB) in early mixed dentition is associated with hereditary factors, sucking habits, and impaired nasal breathing. This study aimed to assess ear, nose, and throat (ENT) structures, orofacial functions, and articulation disorders in children with ULCB, compared to healthy controls, and to evaluate the changes after rapid maxillary expansion (RME). Methods: Thirty-one children with ULCB (mean age 7.62 ± 1.3 years) and 31 age- and gender-matched control subjects without malocclusion (mean age 7.63 ± 0.67 years) were examined by an orthodontist, an ENT specialist, and speech therapist. Children with ULCB were treated with a Haas-type maxillary expander. ENT and orofacial assessments were repeated four years after treatment. Data were analysed using chi-square, Mann-Whitney, and Wilcoxon tests. Results: At baseline, children with ULCB were significantly more likely to have impaired nasal breathing (p < 0.001), enlarged adenoids (p = 0.005), low tongue posture (p = 0.001), lip incompetence (p = 0.026), and articulation disorders (p < 0.001) compared with controls. Post-treatment evaluations revealed significant improvements in nasal breathing (p = 0.001), tongue posture (p < 0.001), adenoid size and nasopharyngeal patency (p < 0.001), mentalis muscle activity (p = 0.025), lip competence (p = 0.014), and swallowing pattern (p = 0.031). Conclusions: A unilateral posterior crossbite was associated with articulation disorders, impaired nasal breathing, tongue posture at the floor of the mouth, and enlarged adenoids in the early mixed dentition. The widening of the maxilla had a significant effect, as it improved nasopharyngeal patency as well as the breathing pattern and tongue posture. unilateral posterior crossbite adenoids palatine tonsils tongue habits orofacial function mouth breathing articulation disorders enostranski zadnji križni ugriz žrelnica mandlji jezikovne navade orofacialna funkcija dihanje skozi usta motnje artikulacije true false false Angleški jezik Ni določen Neznano 2026-04-08 10:41:28 2026-04-08 10:41:29 2026-04-09 03:51:17 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 Nasl. z nasl. zaslona; Opis vira z dne 16. 1. 2026; Str. [133]-146 1 Vol. 50 2026 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 616.31 1557-5268 10.22514/jocpd.2026.013 265016579 RAZ_Grilec_Meta_2026.pdf RAZ_Grilec_Meta_2026.pdf 1 705CE36E92BA5B842F7A9F246BD9F989 30f0acb1b67e319d8498540b903bfcb2c9765df8265c118333bb632fc6b59b5d 7f6ef847-3328-11f1-b941-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=42912 https://www.jocpd.com/articles/10.22514/jocpd.2026.013 1 beef5f68-3326-11f1-b941-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=42910 Univerzitetni klinični center Ljubljana 0 0 0