Difference between revisions of "Occlusion and Posture"

  }}[[File:Question 2.jpg|50x50px|left]]In this section of Masticationpedia we will deal with a much discussed topic in the field of prosthetic rehabilitation and in the diagnosis of Orofacial  disorders including Temporomandibular dysfunctions.As we shall see, there is a dividing line between supporters of the correlation between postural and trigeminal systems and those who refute this correlation. Regardless of who will be right over time, one should always be very careful in evaluating the symptoms and clinical signs reported by patients and not be influenced by more or less fashionable axioms that can generate even serious errors in the differential diagnosis as in the clinical case which we will present below.  

 

{{ArtBy|autore=Gianni Frisardi}}

VEMPs, translated into Miocene Vestibular Evoked Potentials are proof of this. Acoustic stimuli can evoke EMG reflex responses in the masseter muscle called Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMPs). Although these findings have previously been attributed to activation of cochlear (high-intensity sound) receptors, these may also activate vestibular receptors. Because anatomical and physiological studies in both animals and humans have demonstrated that the masseter muscles are a target for vestibular inputs, the authors of this study reevaluated the vestibular contribution for masseter reflexes. This is a typical example of a basic level 'Complex System' as it consists of only two cranial nervous systems but, at the same time, they interact by activating monosynaptic and polysynaptic circuits (Figure 1).</blockquote>Previous publications attempting to evaluate the impact of craniofacial abnormalities on posture and stability focus, among others, on the analysis of patients presenting with symptoms of temporomandibular disorders. It has been shown that changes in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can have a direct impact on muscle activity in terms of posture, stability and physical performance.<ref name=":2" /><ref>Moon H.J., Lee Y.K. The relationship between dental occlusion/temporomandibular joint status and general body health: Part 1. Dental occlusion and TMJ status exert an influence on general body health. J. Altern. Complement. Med. 2011;17:[tel:995–1000 995–1000]. doi: 10.1089/acm.2010.0739.</ref><ref>Souza J.A., Pasinato F., Correa E.A., da Silva A.M. Global body posture and plantar pressure distribution in individuals with and without temporomandibular disorder: A preliminary study. J. Manip. Physiol. Ther. 2014;37:407–414.</ref>  However, there is a lack of high-quality studies using advanced measurement tools to better understand the phenomenon under investigation.<ref>Ferrillo M., Marotta N., Giudice A., Calafiore D., Curci C., Fortunato L., Ammendolia A., de Sire A. Effects of occlusal splints on spinal posture in patients with temporomandibular disorders: A systematic review. Healthcare. 2022;10:739. doi: 10.3390/healthcare10040739.</ref> The study authors evaluated the impact of masticatory abnormalities on postural control and focuses on evaluating individuals with specific malocclusions that determine the anteroposterior position of the mandible. According to some researchers, malocclusion, like TMD, can affect the osteoarticular system of the whole body and become a source of persistent pain and favor the development and perpetuation of some postural defects. According to the cited authors, occlusal disturbances can lead to an altered stimulation of the periodontal proprioceptors, causing changes in the tension of the neck muscles and postural muscles and changes in the position of the head, followed by compensatory changes in the anatomical regions in their immediate vicinity. Over time, this can affect your posture, center of gravity position, or foot contact with the ground.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":11" /><ref name=":12" /><ref>Saccucci M., Tettamanti L., Mummolo S., Polimeni A., Festa F., Tecco S. Scoliosis and dental occlusion: A review of the literature. Scoliosis. 2011;6:1–15. doi: 10.1186/1748-7161-6-15. </ref><ref>Sforza C., Tartaglia G.M., Solimene U., Morgan V., Kaspranskiy R.R., Ferrario V.F. Occlusion, sternocleidomastoid muscle activity, and body sway: A pilot study in male astronauts. Cranio. 2006;24:43–49. doi: 10.1179/crn.2006.008</ref>