Advances in clinical application of oral appliance in treatment of children mouth breathing

Mouth breathing(the process of the air enters the lungs through the mouth) destroys the balance of oral and maxillofacial system, which causes adverse effects on both growth and development of craniomaxillofacial region and general health of children. The application of oral appliances(including vestibular shields, maxillary expansion, Activator, Bionator appliance, Twin-block appliance and muscle function appliance) is an effective way for dentists to treat mouth breathing due to the advantages of low cost, noninvasive, easy to remove, and well accepted by patients. This article reviews the clinical application of the oral appliance mentioned above in children with mouth breathing.