Relationships between stomatognathic and oculomotor systems in the postural determinism

Abstract

Objectives To establish if oculomotor apparatus, stomatognathic apparatus and postural system are someway related. Materials and methods Ocular deficit, postural stabilization, head inclination and rotation, shoulder position and dental class were assessed by convergence test, cover test, postural and stomatognathic examination in a sample of 22 patients with ocular disease (convergence deficit, strabismus and heterophoria) aged from 10 to 18 years. Results In patients with convergence's deficit, body axis deviated to left (65%) and head inclination to right (65%), right shoulder was higher (68%) and I dental class was observed (49%); in patients with strabismus, body axis deviated to left (54%) and head inclination to left (53%), right shoulder was higher (61%) and II dental class was observed (33%); patients with heterophoria showed head inclination to left (98%), body axis and higher shoulder deviated to left (78%) and I-II dental class (33%). Conclusions This study suggests that head inclination on the left side in patients with convergence's deficit or strabismus and head inclination on the right side in patients with heterophoria compensate ocular deficit.