title: Cervical posture analysis in dental students and its correlation with temporomandibular disorder.
abstract: 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).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It can be concluded, therefore, that no relationship exists between cervical posture in the sagittal plane and TMD.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Prosthesis and Periodontology , Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas , Piracicaba , Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Barbosa
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Câmara-Souza
authors.affiliation: a Department of Prosthesis and Periodontology , Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas , Piracicaba , Brazil.
authors.forename: Olívia Maria Costa
authors.initials: OMC
authors.lastname: Figueredo
authors.affiliation: b Department of Dentistry , Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte , Natal , Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Raphael Leite
authors.initials: PRL
authors.lastname: Maia
authors.affiliation: b Department of Dentistry , Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte , Natal , Brazil.
authors.forename: Isabelle de Sousa
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Dantas
authors.affiliation: b Department of Dentistry , Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte , Natal , Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo Augusto Seabra
authors.initials: GAS
authors.lastname: Barbosa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001270:Cervical Atlas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006928:Hyoid Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D013335:Students, Dental; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Temporomandibular joint disorders; cephalometry radiography; posture