PURPOSE: this study investigates whether there is a difference in head posture between groups with different dentofacial deformities (class II and class III) and a group with no deformity. METHOD: 25 volunteers aged from 16 to 40 year old took part in the study. Ten patients had a diagnosis of class II dentofacial deformity, 15 had a diagnosis of class III skeletal deformity, and 15 healthy volunteers matched for sex and age to the group with deformity were used as a control group. Head posture was first checked, followed by evaluation through postural photography (photogrammetry). RESULTS: there was no significant difference (p>0.05) between groups regarding postural evaluation by photogrammetry. However, postural evaluation using clinical inspection, revealed anterior head posture among subjects with class II dentofacial deformity compared to subjects with class III deformity (p = 0.001) and to control group (p = 0.001). The percentage of class II dentofacial deformity subjects with neutral head posture was also lower compared to class III dentofacial deformity (p = 0.008) and to control group (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: subjects with class II dentofacial deformity may show anteriorization of the head. There is no influence of the deformity on the increase or reduction of the head-neck angle when analyzed by photogrammetry.
Malocclusion; Posture; Head
