Association of scoliosis with skeletal jaw asymmetry

Abstract

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between scoliosis and skeletal jaw asymmetry. MethodsThe subjects were one hundred and thirty-eight (43 male, 95 female) patients with jaw deformity, who underwent surgical orthodontic treatment at Cyubu Rosai Hospital from April 2017 to March 2022, without congenital disease or scoliosis treatment history. Posteroanterior cephalograms and posteroanterior chest radiographs obtained before surgery were used to evaluate horizontal displacement of the jawbone, Cobb angle of scoliosis, respectively. Actual values of spines curved to the right and left of the body and of displacement of the mandible in these directions were both deemed positive and negative, respectively. Correlations between absolute values of spine and jaw displacement, namely values without regard to their direction, and correlations between actual values of spine and jaw displacement were analyzed using Spearman, non-parametric, and Pearson, parametric, tests respectively. ResultsTwenty-two patients (15.9 %) had Cobb angle > 10°. Although there was no significant correlation between Cobb angle and Me angle in the actual values (p = 0.606), there was a significant correlation in the absolute values (p = 0.023). ConclusionsThis study suggests a relationship between horizontal deviation of the mandible and scoliosis in patients with jaw deformity, albeit not necessarily in the same direction.