[Association among postural and skull-cervico-mandibular disorders in childhood and adolescence. Analysis of 428 subjects].

The aim of the study is to appraise the prevalence of the mild defects of the spine or paramorphysm in a normal paediatric population, without orthopaedic pathology, and to verify the possible association with the dysfunctions of the dental apparatus. The recovery of a real association among these pathologies could furnish a sprout for a correct therapeutic approach. In the study 428 subjects (211 females and 217 males), aged 9 to 14 years, have been analyzed. The data have been recorded on special schedules, orthopaedic and orthodontic, containing the number of progressive order and the initials of name and last name, in the respect of the privacy of the subjects. From the study a 2.8% scoliosis incidence has emerged, an incidence of scoliotic attitudes 9.5% and an incidence of 83% normality deviations. As deviations by the normality have been classified the isolated skeletal asymmetries, agreements as varying functional not yet pathological, for instance scapular or flank asymmetry, mild genu varum or valgum, femoral anteversion. A statistically significant relationship among that disorders of posture and malocclusion (P < 0.005) and ogival palate (P < 0.002) has been found. Despite these correlations, it is very difficult to explain this association from the point of view of etiopathogenesis. For this we hold to have to continue the study, to give a meaning to such correlations and to find an appropriate therapy.