The relationship of postural body stability and severity of malocclusion

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the relationship between postural body stability (static and dynamic) and malocclusions of varying severity and to find whether different skeletal patterns showed variation in postural body stability. Materials and Methods Seventy-five subjects were divided into three groups based on case complexity using ABO discrepancy index. Group A consisted of 25 subjects restricted to Class I skeletal base and an ABO score ≤10; Group B consisted of 25 subjects with either Class II or III skeletal base and an ABO score of 11–25; Group C consisted of 25 subjects with either Class II or III skeletal base and an ABO score >25. Postural body stability in both static and dynamic equilibrium was recorded using a computerized dynamic posturography. The average values were obtained for the scores obtained in each group and the data obtained wes subjected to statistical analysis using one-way analysis of variance and post hoc Tukey’s test. A P ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Results In both static and dynamic conditions, postural body stability was inversely proportional to the severity of malocclusion. The assessment of the overall body score showed that subjects in Group A and Group B had acceptable postural stability and only subjects with Group C showed statistically significant lack of postural stability. Conclusions Our study showed that patients with malocclusion showed decreased stability and increased sway with increasing severity of malocclusion.