Effect of body posture on stability and balance of occlusal contacts

ABSTRACT

Objective

To evaluate the effect of body posture on occlusal contact.

Methods

A total of 30 healthy subjects were evaluated. T-Scan™ III was used to analyze the center of occlusal force (COF) and occlusal force distribution while subjects remained supine (SP), upright sitting with the head fixed (UP-HFI), upright sitting with the head free (UP-HFR), and natural standing (NS).

Results

The total trajectory length of COF was significantly longer in NS than in SP, UP-HFI, and UP-HFR. The COF area was significantly larger in UP-HFR than in SP and UP-HFI and also significantly larger in NS than in SP, UP-HFI, and UP-HFR. The anteroposterior occlusal force distribution (AOD) in NS shifted significantly forward, compared to SP, UP-HFI, and UP-HFR. AOD in UP-HFI and UP-HFR shifted significantly forward, compared to the SP position.

Conclusion

Changes in body posture affect the stability and anteroposterior balance of occlusal contacts.

KEYWORDS:

• Body posture
• stability of occlusal contacts
• anteroposterior balance of occlusal contacts
• center of occlusal force
• occlusal force distribution

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (grant nos. 15K11188 and 19K10219) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan [15K11188 and 19K10219];