Is there a relationship between head posture and craniomandibular pain?

Area of Science:

• Orthodontics and Dental Occlusion
• Craniofacial Pain Research
• Biomechanics of the Head and Neck

Background:

• Anterior head posture is frequently implicated in the etiology of craniomandibular disorders (CMD).
• Existing clinical research on the relationship between CMD and head posture presents conflicting findings.
• A clear understanding of head posture's role in CMD pathogenesis is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in head posture among CMD pain patients (with or without concurrent cervical spine disorders) and healthy controls.
• To compare head posture between patients with myogenous CMD, arthrogenous CMD, and control subjects.
• To clarify the association between head posture and the presence and type of CMD.

Main Methods:

• A study cohort of 250 individuals was recruited.
• Standardized oral histories and blind physical examinations of the masticatory system and neck were conducted.
• Head posture was objectively measured using lateral photographs and lateral radiographs of the head and cervical spine.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences in head posture were observed between CMD patient groups and healthy controls after adjusting for age and gender (P > 0.27).
• The study found no correlation between the presence of painful CMD, regardless of cervical spine involvement, and altered head posture.
• Specific CMD subtypes (myogenous and arthrogenous) did not exhibit distinct head posture characteristics compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• The findings do not support the hypothesis that altered head posture, specifically an anteroposition, is a contributing factor to painful craniomandibular disorders.
• This research suggests that head posture is not a significant etiological factor in CMD, even when associated with cervical spine pain.
• Further research may be needed to explore other potential factors influencing CMD development and presentation.