HEAlTH CENTER TIvAT, TIvAT, MONTE NEgRO

Introduction: Functional analysis of patients is a constituent element of orthodontic diagnosis. The effect of muscles function to adjacent dental and bone tissues is manifested in various orofacial functions. During the resting phases, which are much longer, muscle tonus directly affects the shape of face and jaw skeleton and thus the shape and position of dental-alveolar structures.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between various functions such as breathing, swallowing and mastication
and facial growth type.
Materials and methods: The subjects of this research were children ages 9 to18 who had received orthodontic treatment at the Medical center Tivat. Only the children with all teeth representing normal growth and development for their age of both genders were included in the sample. They were divided into two age groups: the first group children ages 9-12 and the second group children ages 13-18. For each child an individual dental record was made that besides general data contained anamnesis data as well as data obtained from orthopantomographic and teleradiology images.
Results: The results showed that the tongue, cheek and mastication muscles affect the position and inclination of mandibular molars and that there was correlation between facial growth types and inclination of mandibular molars. Breathing, swallowing and mastication are different in different facial growth types.
Conclusion: Functional analysis of patients is needed for two reasons. The first one is to determine etiological effect of orofacial function on development of malocclusion. The second one is therapeutic because familiarity with orofacial dysfunctions helps with elimination of etiological factors and stabilization of achieved results.

Key Words: functions of orofacial region: breathing, swallowing and mastication, facial growth type, inclination of mandibular molars