Cervical posture analysis in dental students and its correlation with temporomandibular disorder

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and craniocervical posture in the sagittal plane measured from lateral radiographs of the head. Methods: The sample was comprised of 80 randomly selected students of dentistry at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD) was used to evaluate the signs and symptoms of TMD. Lateral radiographs of each individual were used to measure the position of the hyoid bone, the craniocervical angle, and the occiput–atlas distance. A chi-square test was used to evaluate the relationships between craniocervical posture measures and TMD. Results: No relationship was found between TMD and the craniocervical posture measured by the positioning of the hyoid bone, head rotation, and the extension/flexion of the head (p > 0.05). Conclusion: It can be concluded, therefore, that no relationship exists between cervical posture in the sagittal plane and TMD.