Head posture and dentofacial morphology in subjects treated for scoliosis

Head posture and dentofacial status of sixteen females and six males 12 to 34 years of age, who had been treated for scoliosis with a Boston-brace in their teens was investigated clinically and radiologically. When compared to an age and sex-matched sample the main findings were an increased craniocervical angle, particularly in frontal view; rotated orbital, maxillary and mandibular planes, a midline shift of the lower dental arch and a flattened atlas dorsal arch combined with an elongation of the dens axis. There was also a high prevalence of lateral malocclusions and developmentally missing premolars among the scoliotic patients.