Dental occlusion modifies gaze and posture stabilization in human subjects

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomechanics
• Sports Science

Background:

• Dental occlusion, the alignment of teeth and jaws, is crucial for mastication and speech.
• Its potential influence on broader sensorimotor functions like posture and gaze stabilization remains underexplored.
• Understanding this connection may reveal new avenues for performance enhancement and therapeutic interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the repercussions of different dental occlusion positions on postural control and gaze stabilization.
• To assess whether improvements in postural control correlate with enhanced shooting performance in marksmen.

Main Methods:

• Eighteen marksmen and 18 control participants were enrolled.
• Postural control and gaze stabilization were evaluated using a visuo-motor task (shooting performance).
• Four mandibular positions were tested using interocclusal splints: intercuspal occlusion (IO), centric relation (CR), and two lateral occlusions.

Main Results:

• Postural control and gaze stabilization quality decreased progressively with splints in centric relation (CR), intercuspal occlusion (IO), and lateral occlusion.
• In marksmen, enhanced postural control correlated directly with superior shooting performance.
• These findings suggest a significant impact of dental occlusion on sensorimotor regulation.

Conclusions:

• Dental occlusion plays a role in maintaining postural and gaze stabilization.
• The study suggests a repercussion of dental occlusion on proprioception and visual stabilization.
• Optimizing dental occlusion may benefit individuals requiring high levels of balance and visual-motor precision, such as athletes.