Temporomandibular disorders do not correlate with detectable alterations in body posture.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Orthodontics
• Neurology

Background:

• Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are common conditions affecting jaw function.
• Previous research suggests potential links between TMD and altered body posture.
• Objective assessment of postural control in TMD patients is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and measurable changes in body posture.
• To determine if posturography can detect postural alterations in individuals with TMD.

Main Methods:

• A matched case-control study involving 35 TMD patients and 35 asymptomatic controls.
• Posturography was conducted under four conditions: eyes open/closed and with rest position/dental occlusion.
• Static and dynamic posturographic parameters, including center of pressure displacements and sway characteristics, were analyzed.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in static or dynamic posturographic parameters were observed between TMD patients and controls.
• No differences were found between rest position and dental occlusion conditions within either eyes open or eyes closed states.
• Postural sway parameters showed differences between eyes open and eyes closed conditions, independent of TMD status or jaw position.

Conclusions:

• The study did not find evidence of detectable alterations in body posture in individuals with TMD using posturography.
• Postural control appears unaffected by TMD under the tested conditions.
• Further research may be needed to explore subtle or indirect postural influences of TMD.