Diagnosis and Treatment of Upper Airway Obstruction

Chronic mouth breathing is frequently due to upper airway obstruction. Chronic nasal obstruction may occur at any age and affects approximately 10% of the population in Western countries. Nasal obstruction leads to pathologic mouth breathing, which in turn has various negative consequences for facial growth. Moreover, chronic mouth breathing interferes with modern orthodontic treatment. In most cases, mouth breathing due to upper airway obstruction can be successfully treated.