Objectives: Presentation of different causes described in the literature for development of anterior apertognathia.
Methods: A review about data referring to patients limited in their anterior tooth function through the positioning of their teeth has been performed. Electronic data bases, two libraries have been searched for information. Of the identified titles 357 articles and chapters were selected. 43 of these were considered.
Results: Aetiology classifications are inconstant and author dependent, but mostly differentiated into genetic and environmental causes. Specifically named are: habit, tongue, airway obstruction, neuromuscular deficiency, trauma, rheumatoid disease, posture and posterior discrepancy.
Conclusions: Many different factors can be relevant for the development of apertognathia and have to be considered. Further research could help differentiating which of the partially contradictory statements are true.
Keywords: Etiology; Neuromuscular deficiency; Open bite; Posterior discrepancy; Rheumatoid disease; Tongue.