Craniocervical posture as a risk factor for malocclusion

Abstract

Introduction: craniocervical posture disorders have been viewed as risk factors for orthopedic conditions and as separate conditions themselves, but there are not sufficient studies relating them to dental malocclusion. Objective: determine whether craniocervical posture disorders constitute a risk factor for malocclusion in patients cared for at Victoria de Santa Clara clinic from October 2012 to February 2013. Methods: an cross-sectional observational descriptive study was conducted for which two groups were formed: one with patients with malocclusion and the other with patients without malocclusion. Each group was composed of 90 patients. Ocular convergence, head rotation, and biclavicular plane alteration tests were used to determine the prevalence of craniocervical posture disorders. Results: female gender prevailed in the malocclusion group (55.55 %). The main factors identified were inheritance (85.55 %), deforming habits (63.33 %), premature tooth loss (43.33 %) and oral muscle anomalies (24.44 %). Prevalence of posture disorders was 97.77 % in the malocclusion group vs. 48.88 % in the control group, with a highly significant relationship to malocclusion and an odd ratio of 46.00. Conclusions: female gender prevailed in the malocclusion group, whereas male gender predominated in the control group. The most prevalent risk factors are those related to malocclusion in a highly significant manner. A predominance was found of craniocervical posture disorders in the malocclusion group, with a highly significant relationship to malocclusion, a factor increasing 46 times the risk of suffering from the condition.

Keywords

• trastornos de la postura craneocervical
• maloclusión
• riesgo.