X-RAY DIAGNOSTICS OF CERVICAL SPINE CURVATURE IN ORTHODONTICS

Abstract

The cervical spine holds the head’s weight and has the biggest range of movements in the whole spine.Postural disorders of the neck and head are one of the main causes of myofunctional disorders in the craniofacial region. The aim of the study. To analyze the existing radiological methods of cervical spine curvature assessment used in orthodontic practice. Material and methods of the study. To analyze relevant articles, a web search was conducted in electronic databases of medical publications on this topic. Outline of the main material. Changes in one segment of the spine can have consequences anywhere in the myofascial chain. Usually, low body muscle tone is characteristic of a forward head posture (cervical hyperlordosis and extension of the head).The spine has moderate physiological curves: cervical and lumbar lordosis, thoracic and sacral kyphosis.In orthodontic pathology, the curvature of the neck towards the face is usually pathological. To identify misalignment of the cervical column, lateral cephalograms of the head and neck are usually used. The most common methods for evaluating the sagittal alignment of the cervical spine are the Cobb angle C2–C7 and the sagittal vertical axis (SVA). The article describes the methods of measuring these indicators and others (Jackson’s physiological stress lines, Harrison’s posterior tangent method, cervical and cranial tilt angles). Conclusions. Despite the fact that cephalometric studies provide 2-D measurements, these X-ray methods are reliable tools for detecting the position of the cervical spine alignment in the orthodontist’s practice.