Prevalence of infantile swallowing and its association with dentofacial morphology in children during the mixed dentition period

Relevance. Recent literature highlights the growing prevalence of swallowing dysfunction and its association with the development of malocclusions in children. The prevalence of these disorders increases with age and peaks during the late mixed dentition stage. However, it remains an open question whether tongue dysfunction plays a causal role in the development of malocclusion in growing children, or whether it is a secondary adaptation to changes in oral morphology. Objective. To investigate the prevalence of swallowing dysfunction and its association with the development of dentofacial anomalies in children during the mixed dentition period. Materials and methods. A total of 320 children aged 6 to 12 years were examined to determine the prevalence of the infantile swallowing pattern and its association with malocclusion. Clinical, radiographic, and functional diagnostic methods were used, alongside statistical analysis. Results. The prevalence of infantile swallowing among children in the mixed dentition period was 34.4%, with a significantly higher occurrence in girls (59.1%) compared to boys (40.9%) (p < 0.05). In 90% of the identified cases, the infantile swallowing pattern (ISP) was associated with dentofacial anomalies (DFA) across all three spatial planes. Anterior and lateral tongue thrusts observed during swallowing were frequently linked to combined malocclusion patterns (39.2%) and anterior open bite (32.7%) (p < 0.001). Conclusion. Abnormal tongue posture during swallowing is strongly associated with the morphological development of the dentofacial complex. Given the increasing prevalence of this dysfunction and the low likelihood of spontaneous correction during the period of occlusal development in growing children, further research into the aetiology and pathogenesis of functionally induced malocclusions is warranted. Such research may provide deeper insight into the predictive role of tongue posture and function in the development of dentofacial anomalies during the mixed dentition stage.