Correlations between Malocclusion and Postural Anomalies in Children with Mixed Dentition

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible relationship between malocclusion and body posture anomalies. The original sample involved 127 children (45 males and 82 females) with mixed dentition. Clinical examination of oral cavity was performed by an orthodontist, who recorded molar and canine relationship, cross-bite, lower middle-line deviation, and centric relation (CR) considering mono or bilateral contacts in CR. Orthopedic examination of the body posture was clinically carried out by an orthopedist who detected anomalies such as scoliosis, false scoliosis or paramorphism, kyphosis and lordosis. Of the 127 subjects of the sample, 18 children were orthopedically normal, 80 patients had false scoliosis, 22 scoliosis and 7 showed kyphosis. In our study, we don't consider the 7 patients with kyphosis for the exiguity of the sample; so, our analysis was performed on 120 children (42 males and 78 females). The results obtained revealed that the cross-bite was more frequent when scoliosis became worse. We also found that the relationship between left cross-bite and contralateral side of deviation of the curve of the spine in subjects with scoliosis is statistically significant (p = 0.002). Furthermore, the relationship between lower midline and contralateral side of deviation of the curve of the spine in patients with false scoliosis is statistically significant (p = 0.003). In conclusion, it seems that posture anomalies are correlated to cross-bite and mandible abnormal position.