Analysis of Dental Malocclusion and Neuromotor Control in Young Healthy Subjects through New Evaluation Tools

Abstract

The presence of a correlation between stomatognathic and postural systems has been investigated by different authors trying to identify a possible influence of dental occlusion on body posture and balance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between dental occlusion and neuromuscular control in a healthy young population using modern evaluation tools. 25 subjects (9 males and 16 females, aged 23 to 44) were evaluated for dental occlusion, particularly in relation to overjet and overbite parameters, anterior and posterior crossbite, scissor bite, mandibular crowding, molar and canine class, and deviation of the median dental line. Neuromotor control was assessed using two different types of stabilometric platforms in both monopodalic and bipodalic equilibriums (Prokin-B and MF-Stability, Tecnobody, Italy). All subjects were evaluated with and without cotton rolls positioned between the upper and lower arches at the premolar level in order to temporarily eliminate any pathological contact. In all 25 subjects, no statistically significant differences were revealed between the evaluations performed with and without cotton rolls in all the analyzed conditions (in static, in dynamics, with open and closed eyes). This study did not find a significant correlation between dental occlusion and neuromuscular control in a young and healthy population.

Association between constitution, axiography, analysis of dental casts, and postural control in women aged between 41 and 50 years

“…Significances can be recorded for individual parameters with angle class II malocclusion playing a role. The craniomandibular system can generate compensations which may initially be limited to the head/neck area, but this altered head posture consequently results in causing small imbalances in posture [16,19]. Scharnweber et al [13] also refuted a connection between dental malpositions and postural control in men (18-35 years) and explained this by compensation mechanisms of the body.…”

“…Possible correlations between dental parameters and postural control are also discussed in literature [13,14,16,19,21,22]. Accordingly, Perinetti et al [16] found some weak correlations between malocclusions and postural control; the overbite showed correlations with anterior-posterior and lateral fluctuations [16].…”

“…Accordingly, Perinetti et al [16] found some weak correlations between malocclusions and postural control; the overbite showed correlations with anterior-posterior and lateral fluctuations [16]. Isaia et al [19] found no correlation between dental parameters, such as angle class, overbite, overjet, crossbite, deviation and postural control in young and middle-aged subjects (23-44 years), which were investigated in static and dynamic conditions.…”

“…Therefore, a connection between postural control and the temporo-mandibular system can be assumed [5,9,11]. Whether an interference actually exists has been discussed for some time in literature [5,[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]; in some studies, correlations could be verified which proved changes in the postural control by different occlusion positions [5,12,13]. Accordingly, Ohlendorf et al [12] found a reduced frontal and sagittal extension of the body's centre of gravity by blocking the occlusion in contrast to the resting position.…”

TMJ Dysfunction and Systemic Correlation

“…According to this study, there is no evidence between occlusal and postural characteristics, and it is clear that the presence of pain in the TMJ is not connected to the existence of a demonstrable occluded-postural anomaly, therefore, the use of tools and techniques for measuring presumed occlusal abnormalities (electromyography, kinesiography, posturography, etc.) cannot be justified in evidence-based medicine [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Stomatognathic systems perform different roles, such as in breathing, as can be summarized with some concepts.…”