Studies Show Orthodontic Treatment May Improve Posture and Balance

Studies have shown that orthodontic treatment not only gives you a great smile, but can also improve your posture and balance. Researchers based in Austria and Spain have made a link between malocclusion, the misalignment between the teeth of the two dental arches when they approach each other as the jaw closes, and a person’s ability to maintain good posture and balance.

Relationship of Orthodontics And Posture

In the research, carried out on ten individuals, it was seen where posture and balance were improved when malocclusions were fixed. This link was explained using neurophysiology, a branch of psychology concerned with the nervous system. According to an article in the daily mail, “The link may be because the main nerve responsible for chewing – the trigeminal nerve – is closely linked to the vestibular nucleus, the part of the brain responsible for balance control, as are the neck muscles and our jaw muscles”.

One of the main researchers in the study, Sonia Julia Sanchez, said that the ability to control posture comes from “a system of sensory and motor elements arising from visual, somatosensory and vestibular information”. She recommends that the wider population, especially athletes, correct their dental occlusions for better postural and balance control.

Visit An Orthodontist

This study made more concrete the need to visit our dentists and orthodontics regularly as they are responsible for much more than our teeth. Oral health has not only been connected to posture and balance, but proper speech, breathing, and self-confidence. With the advancement of medical care, we now have many options available for proper care of our oral health.