Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate, using photogrammetry, the relationship between head posture and bruxism in children with complete deciduous dentition.
Material and methods: Forty-two children aged between 3 and 6 years, with complete deciduous dentition, participated in the study. Twenty-one children diagnosed with bruxism according to the diagnostic criteria of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine were selected for the bruxism group, and 21 children without bruxism were selected for the control group. Markers were placed on three anatomical landmarks (spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra, manubrium of the sternum and mental protuberance) and photographic measurements were made to evaluate head posture. Angles between markers were determined using the ALCimagem® software for quantitative image analysis. The Student's t-test was used at a significance level of 0.05 for the comparison of head posture (mean cervical angle) between the bruxism and control groups.
Result: There was a significant difference (p < 0.005) in the mean cervical angle between the control (89.58° ± 8.03°) and bruxism (98.99° ± 8.15°) groups.
Conclusion: In the present study, children with bruxism showed greater alterations in head posture than controls.
Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.