Association of Dental Occlusion, Body Posture and Temporomandibular Disorders:An Overview

The nature of the interrelationship between whole body posture and the quality of the dental occlusion has not yet to date been clearly documented within the dental or posture literature, as the findings of published studies within both fields have been scarce and inconclusive. The combined use of digital diagnostic occlusal and postural assessment technologies has not been widely employed in these research projects, which has mired both fields' ability to study, to understand, and to clearly ascertain how posture and dental occlusion affect each other physiologically. As such, the specific aims of this chapter are to outline how posture and dental occlusion interrelate through the stomatognathic system's afferent neural inputs into the central nervous system (CNS), which communicate important occlusal contact force distribution information, and equally as important, mandibular spatial positional information within the posture and balance regions of the brain. The concept that the dental occlusion is a capteur for posture (which in English means, a sensor of posture health), is further explored with the inclusion of three differing clinical posturo-occlusal cases, diagnosed and treated with the combined use of the T-Scan 9 computerized occlusal analysis technology, the MatScan/MobileMat foot pressure mapping technology, and the Footmat Research software version 7.10. These presented clinical cases illustrate that improved right-to-left occlusal contact force balance, and improved center of force location within the dental arches, improve a number of measurable sway parameters. Together, the implementation of the T-Scan and the MatScan exquisitely demonstrate to the clinician the significance of the physiologic interrelationship between body posture and the dental occlusion. The presented cases emphasize there exists a whole-body concept that depends upon a variety of differing systems, whereby changes in the dental occlusion produce a phenomenon of bio-functional neuro-reprogramming for the stomatognathic system and the whole body.

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Assessment of Head Tilt in Young Children with Unilateral Posterior Crossbite by Video Recording

Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry ◽

10.17796/jcpd.32.2.t018104374145426 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 159-164 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Débora Bevilaqua-Grossi ◽

Thaís Cristina Chaves ◽

Margarete Lovato ◽

Anamaria Siriani de Oliveira ◽

Simone Cecílio Hallak Regalo

Keyword(s):

Young Children ◽

Video Recording ◽

Head Tilt ◽

Body Posture ◽

Class I ◽

Occlusion Body ◽

Posture Analysis ◽

Recording Technique ◽

Posterior Crossbite

14 children with unilateral posterior crossbites (PCB) participated in this study and 14 children with Angle's class I occlusion. Body posture analysis was made by a video recording technique. The results showed greater tilt in the angles of head tilt in PCB children when compared to neutral occlusion children. We also observed that head tilt followed the side of crossbite. Such results suggest that unilateral PCB could be related to the development of head tilt on the same side of the crossbite.

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Dental occlusion and body posture: No detectable correlation

Gait & Posture ◽

10.1016/j.gaitpost.2005.07.012 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 165-168 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

Giuseppe Perinetti

Keyword(s):

Body Posture ◽

Dental Occlusion

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Dental Occlusion and Body Posture: A Surface EMG Study

CRANIO® ◽

10.1179/crn.2008.041 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

pp. 25-32 ◽

Cited By ~ 37

Author(s):

Maurizio Bergamini ◽

Felicita Pierleoni ◽

Andrea Gizdulich ◽

Carlo Bergamini

Keyword(s):

Surface Emg ◽

Body Posture ◽

Dental Occlusion

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Effects of Experimental Leg Length Discrepancies on Body Posture and Dental Occlusion

CRANIO® ◽

10.1179/crn.2011.028 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

pp. 194-203 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Nozomi Maeda ◽

Kiwamu Sakaguchi ◽

Noshir R. Mehta ◽

Emad F. Abdallah ◽

Albert G. Forgione ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Posture ◽

Dental Occlusion ◽

Leg Length

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Effects of Dental Occlusion on Body Sway, Upper Body Muscle Activity and Shooting Performance in Pistol Shooters

Applied Bionics and Biomechanics ◽

10.1155/2018/9360103 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Amândio A. Dias ◽

Luís A. Redinha ◽

Luís M. Silva ◽

Pedro C. Pezarat-Correia

Keyword(s):

Upper Limb ◽

Muscle Activity ◽

National Level ◽

Body Posture ◽

Upper Body ◽

Body Sway ◽

Dental Occlusion ◽

Emg Activity ◽

Experimental Conditions ◽

Occlusal Splints

Occlusal splints, to some extent, have been related to reduced body sway in a static position and increased muscle activity in the upper limbs. However, how dental occlusion status affects sports performance remains unclear. Here, we investigated whether occlusal splints that reposition the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) influenced body posture, muscle activity, and performance in 10-meter pistol shooters. Thirteen national-level male shooters (age = 38.8 ± 10.9 yrs) were recruited for this study, and cleared of any cervical pathology. An occlusal splint (OS) and a placebo splint (PS) were fabricated for each of the subjects, with the mandibular and maxillary position verified by an expert dentist, with the aid of an adjustable articulator. Surface electromyography (EMG) was assessed in the upper limb that holds the pistol while the subjects were standing on a force platform. Subjects performed two series of 10 shots for each of the three experimental conditions (OS, PS, N (no splint)) in randomized order, with the mandible in a rest position. Results revealed similar centre of pressure (COP) parameters in all conditions, despite a reduction in the average oscillation area caused by the OS. There were also no significant differences in EMG activity between conditions in the five upper limb muscles monitored. Consistent with this, shooting performance was similar in all conditions, despite a reduction in shot dispersion in subjects using OS. Thus, changes in dental occlusion status induced by OS do not affect body posture, upper limb EMG muscle activity, or shot performance in healthy male pistol shooters.

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Influence of Vision and Dental Occlusion on Body Posture in Pilots

Aviation Space and Environmental Medicine ◽

10.3357/asem.3541.2013 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 84 (8) ◽

pp. 823-827 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Alberto Baldini ◽

Alessandro Nota ◽

Gaia Cravino ◽

Clementina Cioffi ◽

Antonio Rinaldi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Posture ◽

Dental Occlusion

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Relationship Between Dental Occlusion Class, Head Position and Body Posture of The Upper Part of the Body

Reabilitacijos mokslai slauga kineziterapija ergoterapija ◽

10.33607/rmske.v2i9.847 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (9) ◽

Author(s):

Giedrė Jurgelaitienė ◽

Vilma Dudonienė ◽

Marius Jurgelaitis

Keyword(s):

Cervical Spine ◽

Temporomandibular Disorders ◽

Age Groups ◽

Head Position ◽

The Body ◽

Body Posture ◽

Dental Occlusion ◽

Upper Cervical Spine ◽

Functional Abnormality ◽

Therapeutic Implications

The close anatomical and neuronal (sensory and motor) linkage between the upper cervical spine and the craniofacial section documented in literature accounts for relationships between the jaw position and the inclination of the cervical spine. The issue of relationships between dental occlusion, body posture and temporomandibular disorders is a controversial topic in dentistry, and it is often a source of speculations. A description of the available knowledge about the physiology of the body posture – dental occlusion relationship is fundamental to discuss the possible diagnostic and therapeutic implications of the assessment of body posture in subjects with occlusal abnormalities or patients with temporomandibular disorders. The orthostatic position of the skull is kept by a complex muscular mechanism involving head, neck and shoulder girdle muscles. Since TMJ, cervical spine and occlusion are intimately related, a functional abnormality or the position of one of them may affect the function or the position of the others (Baião da Neiva et al., 2011). Object of the study: relationship between dental occlusion class, head position and body posture of the upper part of the body. Aim of the study: to determine relationship between dental occlusion class, head position and body posture of upper part of the body. Methods and organization of the study: The study involved 52 subjects. Participants were divided into two age groups: first group (n = 42, 20–28 years) and second group (n = 10, 45–49). 1987 W. W. K. Hoeger subjective volunteer’s posture evaluation model, where the deviation from the norm was defined by score, was chosen for the evaluation. Also the posture was rated digitally. Subjects’ photographs of posture were rated by software AutoCAD 2013 programme. Dental occlusion was assessed according to Angle classification. Conclusion: No strong, statistically significant linkage between the evaluated parameters were found. Additional research is needed to ground scientifically based relationship between masticatory system, musculoskeletal system and body posture.Keywords: dental occlusion class, head position, body posture.

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Systematic changes of the static upper body posture with a symmetric occlusion condition

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽

10.1186/s12891-020-03655-x ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

C. Maurer-Grubinger ◽

I. Avaniadi ◽

F. Adjami ◽

W. Christian ◽

C. Doerry ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sagittal Plane ◽

Age Groups ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Body Posture ◽

Upper Body ◽

Dental Occlusion ◽

Trunk Length ◽

Compensation Mechanisms ◽

Upper Body Posture ◽

Gender Specific

Abstract Background Temporary occlusal changes and their influence on the upper body statics are still controversially discussed. Furthermore, concrete statements on whether age- or gender-specific differences in neurophysiological reactions exist are missing. Therefore, it is the aim of this study to evaluate the immediate effects of a symmetrical occlusion blocking on the upper body posture. These effects shall be investigated for both genders and for a larger age range. Methods In this study, 800 (407f/393 m) subjects volunteered aged from 21 to 60 years. Both genders were divided into four age groups according to decades. The three-dimensional upper body posture was measured by using the rasterstereography (ABW-Bodymapper). The habitual static posture was measured in two dental occlusion conditions (a) in rest position and (b) symmetrical blocking in the bicuspid region by cotton rolls. Results A significant reduction of the trunk length (0.72 mm; p < 0.001), an increase of the lumbar (0.30°; p < 0.001) and the thoracic bending angle (0.14°; p = 0.001), a reduction of the spinal forward decline (0.16°; p < 0.001) and a reduction of the scapular distance (0.36 mm; p = 0.001) was found. Gender-specific reactions can only be recorded in scapular distance, in that regard men reduce this distance while over all age groups women did not show a significant change. Discussion Slight gender- and age-independent reactions due to a symmetric occlusion blockade are shown: A gender independent reaction of the spinal related variables in the sagittal plane (thoracic and lumbar flexion angle, trunk length, spinal forward decline). In addition, a gender specific change of the shoulder blade distance could be observed, where men reduced the distance while female did not show a change. However, since these reactions are of a minimum amount, it can be concluded that neurophysiological compensation mechanisms work equally well regardless of age and sex, and the upper body posture of healthy people changes only very slightly due to a temporarily symmetrical altered bite position.

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