The appearance and look of an adenoid face is a long and narrow face with a slightly open mouth and high arched palate, along with a short upper lip, and also elevated nostrils as a result of chronic mouth breathing from enlarged adenoids.
This leads to underdeveloped facial bones and a sleepy expression or tired expression with dark circles under the eyes.
This pattern in adenoid face, emerges as facial muscles adapt to the constant need of needing to breathe through the mouth, which also affects bone structure development, especially in children.
The key features of adenoid face include mouth breathing, elongated face, high palate, short upper lip, elevated nostrils, dental issues, lower jaw and the expression of the face.
With an adenoid face the mouth is often held open, even when at rest, as the nose is blocked due to the adenoids.
A person with adenoid face will also have an elongated face and the face appears longer and narrower.
And the roof of the mouth or palate also becomes narrow and vaulted, and the upper lip appears short and pulled up.
The nostrils with adenoid face also may appear small or hitched up.
And dental issues like crowded or protruding front teeth also known as prominent incisors and the lower jaw with an adenoid face may appear underdeveloped or slightly retruded.
And the facial expression of an adenoid face will appear dull, sleepy or tired looking with dark circles under the eyes, which is also known as allergic shiners.
The reason adenoid face happens is because when the adenoids swell, the swollen adenoids block the nasal passages, and force the child and sometimes adults to breathe through their mouths.
And this continuous open mouth posture alters muscle function and disrupts normal craniofacial development, which results in these characteristics facial changes, which are also more pronounced in growing kids.