Postural disorders and dentofacial morphology

Although the history of opinions regarding poor posture as an etiologic factor for deviant dentofacial development and malocclusions is old, very few controlled studies on this topic have been done. Most of the articles are anecdotal or describe subjective clinical impressions. Some studies do present valid material, but unfortunately they often do not provide enough information about the methods for postural recording. Based on selected studies, this review concludes that there is plausible evidence for an increased prevalence of Angle Class II malocclusions associated with hyperlordosis of the cervical spine and an increased risk of lateral crossbite in children affected by scoliosis and torticollis. Also, documentation of associations between anterior crowding and head posture seem convincing.