OBJECTIVES:Controversial results have been reported on potential correlations between the stomatognathic system and body posture. We investigated whether malocclusal traits correlate with body posture alterations in young subjects to determine possible clinical applications.METHODS:A total of 122 subjects, including 86 males and 36 females (age range of 10.8–16.3 years), were enrolled. All subjects tested negative for temporomandibular disorders or other conditions affecting the stomatognathic systems, except malocclusion. A dental occlusion assessment included phase of dentition, molar class, overjet, overbite, anterior and posterior crossbite, scissorbite, mandibular crowding and dental midline deviation. In addition, body posture was recorded through static posturography using a vertical force platform. Recordings were performed under two conditions, namely, i) mandibular rest position (RP) and ii) dental intercuspidal position (ICP). Posturographic parameters included the projected sway area and velocity and the antero-posterior and right-left load differences. Multiple regression models were run for both recording conditions to evaluate associations between each malocclusal trait and posturographic parameters.RESULTS:All of the posturographic parameters had large variability and were very similar between the two recording conditions. Moreover, a limited number of weakly significant correlations were observed, mainly for overbite and dentition phase, when using multivariate models.CONCLUSION:Our current findings, particularly with regard to the use of posturography as a diagnostic aid for subjects affected by dental malocclusion, do not support existence of clinically relevant correlations between malocclusal traits and body posture.

Objective: To evaluate the capability of both cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) stages 3 and 4 (CS3-4 interval) and the peak in standing height to identify the mandibular growth spurt throughout diagnostic reliability analysis. Materials and Methods: A previous longitudinal data set derived from 24 untreated growing subjects (15 females and nine males,) detailed elsewhere were reanalyzed. Mandibular growth was defined as annual increments in Condylion (Co)-Gnathion (Gn) (total mandibular length) and Co-Gonion Intersection (Goi) (ramus height) and their arithmetic mean (mean mandibular growth [mMG]). Subsequently, individual annual increments in standing height, Co-Gn, Co-Goi, and mMG were arranged according to annual age intervals, with the first and last intervals defined as 7-8 years and 15-16 years, respectively. An analysis was performed to establish the diagnostic reliability of the CS3-4 interval or the peak in standing height in the identification of the maximum individual increments of each Co-Gn, Co-Goi, and mMG measurement at each annual age interval. Results: CS3-4 and standing height peak show similar but variable accuracy across annual age intervals, registering values between 0.61 (standing height peak, Co-Gn) and 0.95 (standing height peak and CS3-4, mMG). Generally, satisfactory diagnostic reliability was seen when the mandibular growth spurt was identified on the basis of the Co-Goi and mMG increments. Conclusions: Both CVM interval CS3-4 and peak in standing height may be used in routine clinical practice to enhance efficiency of treatments requiring identification of the mandibular growth spurt. (Angle Orthod. 2016;86:599-609.)

Objective: To evaluate gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) protein content and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in growing subjects in relation to stages of skeletal maturation, ie, the growth phase, as prepubertal, pubertal, and postpubertal. Subjects and Methods: Fifty healthy growing subjects (31 girls and 19 boys; age range, 7.8-17.7 years) were enrolled in this study that followed a double-blind, prospective, cross-sectional design. Collection of GCF was performed at the mesial and distal sites of both central incisors, for the maxilla and mandible. Growth phase was assessed through the cervical vertebral maturation method. GCF parameters were expressed as total protein content, total ALP activity, and normalized ALP activity. Results: The total GCF protein content was similar between the different growth phases. On the contrary, the total ALP activity showed a peak for the pubertal growth phase. The normalized GCF ALP activity was only poorly associated with growth phase. No differences were seen between the maxillary and mandibular sites, or between the sexes, for any GCF parameter. Conclusions: The total GCF protein content is not sensitive to the growth phase. However, GCF ALP activity has potential as a diagnostic aid for identification of the pubertal growth phase in individual subjects when expressed as total, but not normalized, values. (Angle Orthod. 0000;00:1-6.)

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