Journal of Dental Medicine

Statement of Problem: Craniocervical Posture is a factor in the development and function of Craniofacial Structure. Previous studies of different samples have demonstrated associations between craniocervical posture and craniofacial morphology.
Purpose: This study aimed lo examine whether any significant association is evident or not between craniocervical posture and the occurrence of Class il & Class III skeletal malocclusions.

Materials and Methods: A sample of 76 subjects with Class II & Class III skeletal malocclusion aged 9-i 1 and>18 years were selected. None of them had received orthodontic treatment. Lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken in natural head position (NHP), and craniocervical and craniohorizental angels were traced and determined for analysis of craniocervical posture.

Results: According to the craniocervical posture, most class II skeletal patients have flexed heads and class MI skeletal patients have extended heads, as a result malocclusion in these patients seems to become more severe.With increase in age. class II skeletal patients have more flexed their heads and malocclusion become more severe, while with increase in age in class ill skeletal patients, their heads become extended and once again malocclusion thought lo be more severe. In class II skeletal patients, craniocervical posture has a significant correlation with the vertical growth pattern, but shows little correlation with the horizontal growth pattern. In class 111 skeletal patients, craniocervical posture shows no correlation to any of the vertical & horizontal growth patterns, of course the mean of vertical angles is less in these patients and probably in order to make these relation significant in Class III skeletal patients there is need for more samples, in class II & class III skeletal patients, the amount of Na.prep-point A and pog-Na.prep with craniocervical posture shows a significant correlation.
Conclusion: Consideration of craniocervical posture (in addition to cephalometric angles) lead to making better treatment planning.

Background and Aims: Musculoskeletal disorders in dentists due to abnormal postures may result in economic and health problems. To prevent these problems, the working posture of dental students should be assessed and corrected in dental procedures. This study determine these problems and the effect of training courses on them by Rapid Entire Body Assessment method (REBA).

Materials and Methods: The posture of 69 students were assessed by REBA before and after of the “Ergonomic principles in dentistry” course. The subjects which were used in the training course were based on the previous studies on this issue. The REBA scores were assessed by SPSS software using Paired T-test.

Results: The results showed that the students’ posture should be corrected. Postures of 94.2% of students were in moderate and high risk level which needed to be corrected. The worst working positions were during surgery, endodontic and pediatric dentistry procedures. Although the REBA scores before and after training course were statistically different (P<0.05), the training did not improve the posture of students remarkably.

Conclusion: The students’ working postures should be improved. One-day ergonomic principles course improved the working posture of students but it was not sufficient. More training and instructions are needed to have a good working position in dental procedures.