title: Mandibular position influence on pilots' postural balance analyzed under dynamic conditions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of the mandibular position on the postural stability in a sample of civilian and military pilots.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty military pilots (males, mean age 35.15 ± 3.14 years) and 17 civilian pilots (males, mean 34.91 ± 2.15 years) were enrolled in this study and underwent a Sensory Organization Test (SOT) using the EquiTest® (NeuroCom International Inc., Clackamas, OR, USA) computerized dynamic posturography. The composite parameter was recorded and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The equilibrium score (ES) recorded in centric occlusion is slightly higher than the ES recorded in mandibular rest position; civilian pilots showed ESs slightly higher than military pilots. The two-way ANOVA analysis shows these differences are not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study seem to suggest that the composite parameter of the SOT is not sensitive in analyzing the influence of the stomatognathic system on the postural balance of civilian and military pilots.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthodontics , University of Rome Tor Vergata , Rome , Italy.|c Italian Air force, Institute of Improvement and Training in Aerospace Medicine , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7564-4885
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baldini
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthodontics , University of Rome Tor Vergata , Rome , Italy.|c Italian Air force, Institute of Improvement and Training in Aerospace Medicine , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3651-1251
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nota
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthodontics , University of Rome Tor Vergata , Rome , Italy.|c Italian Air force, Institute of Improvement and Training in Aerospace Medicine , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Clementina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cioffi
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthodontics , University of Rome Tor Vergata , Rome , Italy.|c Italian Air force, Institute of Improvement and Training in Aerospace Medicine , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ballanti
authors.affiliation: b Dental School , Vita-Salute San Raffaele University , Milan , Italy.|c Italian Air force, Institute of Improvement and Training in Aerospace Medicine , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2986-1114
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tecco
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008889:Military Personnel; D000070356:Pilots; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Air Force personnel; Postural balance; TMJ; bruxism; dental occlusion; military personnel; neck pain; sensory organization test