Dynamic Postural Analysis In Patients With Orthodontic Deformities, TMJ Disorders, And Vestibular Deficiencies

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Human posture is an automatic and unconscious position in which an individual’s body and limbs are situated to perform everyday static and dynamic activities with minimal energy expenditure. The relationships between the muscles that maintain posture, the stomatognathic system, and the vestibular and visual systems are studied by clinicians across various medical fields.
AIM: The aim of this scientific publication, based on the PhD thesis of the first author, is to perform a dynamic postural analysis in different patient groups and to investigate the relationship between deviations in tooth-jaw relationships, disorders of the audio-vestibular apparatus, and their impact on postural control, balance, and overall body posture.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 134 patients from Varna and the surrounding region, aged 8 to 87 years, were examined. The examinations and diagnostic tests were conducted at the University Medical and Dental Center, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Medical University “Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov” - Varna. All patients underwent dental, occlusion, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) examinations by a dental medicine specialist, and ENT examinations by an ENT specialist. Posturographic examination and analysis were conducted by both specialists. All patients provided written informed consent, and ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Commission of the Medical University of Varna (№99/14.01.2021).
RESULTS: The data show a predominant shift of the center of gravity to the right in the transverse direction (left-right), most commonly occurring in patients with vestibular disorders (Group 4), followed by patients without orthodontic and audio-vestibular disorders (Group 1) and those with combined disorders (Group 2). The highest average values of the Length and Surface of the Sway Curve were observed in Group 2. Among all patients, the oval (pathologic) shape of the stabilogram was predominant.
DISCUSSION: Based on these results, patients can be referred for rehabilitation or further diagnosis by other medical specialists. The study reconfirms diagnostic conclusions obtained from other specialists in the field. Stabilometric platforms prove to be a fast and reliable source of data gathering.
CONCLUSION: The presence of orthodontic and/or vestibular disorders affects body stability parameters. The connections between the stomatognathic system and the postural, plantar, and audio-vestibular systems were confirmed.