Quantitative Analysis of Body Posture and Its Correlation With Cervical Posture in Various Malocclusions

Abstract BACKGROUND: Considering that malocclusions can cause cervico-mandibular and cervico-cranial disorders, the aim of this study is to investigate whether there are significant differences in posture in subjects with skeletal class I, class II and skeletal class III malocclusion METHODS: A clinical study conducted on 90 subjects with Angle`s class I, II, III skeletal malocclusion. Standardized Casts of the subjects were used to analyze the tooth characteristics. Lateral cephalograms were used to assess cervical posture through cervical skull Rocabado analysis. A customized force platform with pressure sensors were used for posture analysis. RESULTS: There is a difference in body posture in subjects with skeletal class I, class II and class III malocclusion and a positive correlation between body posture and cervical posture is found in subjects with these classes of skeletal malocclusion. Subjects with class I malocclusion were found to have a normal cervical and body posture. Strain values from the force platform showed equal distribution of strain on both the feet. Subjects with class II malocclusion were found to have a forward cervical posture with the forward lean of body posture. Subjects with class III skeletal malocclusion were found to have a backward cervical posture with the posterior lean of body posture. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that different classes of malocclusion present with an alteration in cervical and body posture. Correction of the malocclusion or an intervention plan for the prevailing malocclusion should be done as early as possible which can be used to correct the posture thereby restoring the equilibrium of the body.