Assessing the Impact of Dental Malocclusion on the Body's Postural Balance: Correlation between Angle Class, Pelvic Balance, and Center of Foot Pressure

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to determine the association between pelvic and center foot pressure (CoP) imbalances and angle class II or III malocclusions. MethodsOur study is a prospective, descriptive, and analytic study conducted on two groups: a test group of 53 patients who present malocclusion class II or III compared with 53 controls matched for age and gender. The evaluation of the center of foot pressure (CoP) and the confidence ellipse area (mm2) were performed by stabilometric platefrom using bipodal test in two occlusal conditions, in maximum intercuspation (MI) and with a cotton roll (CR), with and without visual cue. A pelvic level device was used to perform the pelvic balance examination. Statistical analysis used the chi-square test, the McNemar test, and the Pearson test. ResultsIn the case group, the bipodal test was poor (outside reference values) in MI open eyes, MI closed eyes, CR open eyes, and CR closed eyes in 47.2%, 62.3%, 58.5%, and 64.2%, respectively, vs 54.7%, 43.4%, 34.0%, and 67.9%, respectively, of controls (p <0.05). None subjects in the control group were diagnosed with pelvic imbalance, against five patients (9.4%) in the case group (p <0.05). Pelvic imbalance was noted in two patients in class II and only one patient in class III. For Class II, the bipodal test results were poor in MI open eyes, MI closed eyes, CR open eyes, and CR closed eyes conditions with percentages of 54.2%, 66.7%, 70.8%, and 58.3%, respectively (p <0.05). In Class III, results were generally good in MI open eyes (80%), but mostly poor in MIP and CR closed eyes (90%). ConclusionThere was a significant difference in pelvic imbalance between the case group and the control group. Angle Classes II and III had no significant correlation with pelvic tilt. The stabilometric examinations have shown that Angle class II influences the CoP displacement and the confidence ellipse area in MI open eyes conditions. This finding supports the hypothesis that dental malocclusion can have an effect on the postural system.