Airway obstruction can cause breathing disorders, and craniofacial deformation and malocclusion. Upper airway obstruction can be subtle in children, but it can have long term consequences including failure to thrive, behavioral disturbances, developmental delay, sleep disorders , dry mouth and increasing caries .
Airway obstruction can occur for a variety of reasons, including congenital abnormality, adenoid hypertrophy, tonsil hypertrophy, small upper jaw, small lower jaw. Obesity increases any present airway obstruction as the tongue, uvula and throat tissues enlarge.
Nasal obstruction, is a main cause of abnormal growth and development of the face, jaws and dentition (specially upper jaw). In some cases in early growing ages ,expanding the upper jaw by using orthodontic appliance can solve both malocclusion and nasal obstruction , but better to solve nose obstruction before it come late .