RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OCCLUSAL PARAMETERS AND POSTURAL BODY BIOMECHANICS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35220/2523-420X/2025.4.2Keywords:
dental occlusion, postural balance, body biomechanics, mesial occlusion, distal occlusionAbstract
Dental occlusion is considered an important functional component of the stomatognathic system and an integral part of a unified biomechanical chain linking the craniomandibular complex, myofascial structures, and the postural control system. In children and adolescents during periods of active growth, disturbances in occlusal relationships may be accompanied by adaptive changes in head position, cervical spine alignment, and parameters of static and dynamic postural balance. Objective. To assess the relationship between occlusal parameters and static and dynamic postural balance indicators in pediatric and adolescent orthodontic patients with different types of sagittal malocclusion. Materials and Methods. A prospective clinical study was conducted in pediatric and adolescent orthodontic patients with sagittal malocclusions (Class II and Class III). Occlusal parameters were evaluated clinically according to orthodontic criteria. Postural balance was assessed using static and dynamic baropodometry, with analysis of center of pressure parameters, sway area, and plantar load distribution. Results. Patients with distal occlusion (Class II) demonstrated an anterior displacement of the center of pressure by an average of 6.2 ± 2.1 mm compared with physiological occlusion (p < 0.05), along with a reduction in the postural stability index by 12–15 %. The statokinesiogram area increased by 18.4%. In the mesial occlusion group (Class III), a significant asymmetry of plantar load distribution was observed (difference between the right and left foot 7.1 ± 2.6%, p < 0.05), as well as an increase in the length of the center of pressure trajectory during dynamic tests by 14.8%. Correlation analysis revealed a moderate association between sagittal occlusion type and postural stability parameters (r = 0.42–0.53, p < 0.05). Conclusions. Occlusal parameters are significantly associated with static and dynamic postural balance indicators in children and adolescents with sagittal malocclusions. The findings support the relevance of a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach to orthodontic treatment that takes postural characteristics into account during periods of active growth
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