Tetyana Shcherbyna¹ * and Kostiantyn Lykhota ²

¹ Postgraduate Student of the Department of Stomatology, P.L. Shupyk National University of Health Care, Ukraine
² Professor, Doctor of Medicine, P.L. Shupyk National University of Health Care, Ukraine

*Corresponding Author: Tetyana Shcherbyna, Postgraduate Student of the Department of Stomatology, P.L. Shupyk National University of Health Care, Ukraine.

Received: January 21, 2026; Published: February 28, 2026

Abstract

Aim: To assess the effect of low tongue posture on the development of Angle Class III dentoskeletal anomalies and to evaluate the effectiveness of combined myofunctional therapy and orthodontic appliance treatment in pediatric patients.

Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study enrolled 100 children (55 females, 45 males), aged 5–14 years. Diagnostic cephalometric analysis was used to classify participants into two groups: (1) functional anterior mandibular displacement (dentoalveolar Class III) and (2) skeletal Class III due to maxillary retrognathia. Group 1 received EF Line functional appliances with targeted myogymnastics and breathing exercises. Group 2 underwent rapid maxillary expansion, facemask therapy followed by myofunctional exercises. Clinical endpoints included nasal breathing restoration, craniofacial skeletal normalization by cephalometric indices, and relapse prevention. Outcomes were assessed at treatment completion and at six-month follow-up.

Results: Significant improvements were observed across clinical and cephalometric measures. Restoration of nasal breathing occurred in over 85 % of subjects. Mean maxillary width increased by 2.3 mm (±0.8) in Group 2, with corresponding improvement in maxillary position and reduction in mandibular prognathism. Group 1 achieved normalization of dental occlusion in 80 % of cases. Addition of myofunctional therapy was associated with a relapse rate below 10 % at six months post‑treatment.

Conclusions: A multimodal intervention combining orthodontic appliance therapy and myofunctional exercises was effective in early correction of Class III dentofacial anomalies associated with low tongue posture and airway obstruction. The approach resulted in functional and skeletal improvements with low relapse incidence. Such interventions may be advisable in pediatric orthodontic practice to prevent progression of Class III malocclusion.

Keywords: Dentofacial Anomalies; Myofunctional Therapy; Low Tongue Posture; Airway Obstruction; Angle Class III

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Citation

Citation: Tetyana Shcherbyna and Kostiantyn Lykhota. “Development of Dentofacial Anomalies Associated with Airway Obstruction and Low Tongue Posture". Acta Scientific Dental Sciences 10.3 (2026): 22-31.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2026 Tetyana Shcherbyna and Kostiantyn Lykhota. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.