Posture
Conditions
Keywords
Dental splints, Dentures, Vertical Dimension of Occlusion, Temporomandibular Joint Disorders, Balance, Gait
Brief summary
A connection of the stomatognathic system \[an anatomical system comprising the teeth, jaws, and associated soft tissues\] to postural control has been suggested in the literature. This research will investigate how occlusion can impact postural response, disorder, and rehabilitation by examining how modifications in the vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO) influence balance and gait. Although it is currently unclear which or how restorative approaches cause postural disturbances, changes in several occlusal factors, i.e. VDO, Angle's class, crossbite and others have been suggested to manifest clearly into an altered stability, which could have a significant effect on the quality of life, especially in the elderly. The present study aims to identify the degree to which specific interventions in oral cavity affect the stability and gait patterns of patients, This will b achieved by either: * The use of dental splints (fully certified devices) * The use of the subjects' own dentures A direct correlation of postural perturbations and VDO, would essentially void the necessity to evaluate specific interventions (e.g. different types of restorations) independently and allow clinicians to assess a potential effect on their patients' stability and gait based on pre- to post- treatment VDO.
Interventions
OTHERDental splints
Each participant will receive six custom-made dental splints to incrementally increase their VDO. These splints will alter the VDO in increments from 5 to 30 mm, specifically: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mm.
OTHERDentures
Participants in this group will participate in balance and gait testing both with and without their dentures to examine how the presence or absence of dentures affects postural stability and movement.
Sponsors
Boston University
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
30 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
for Group A * 30-45 years old * Physically and cognitively healthy (able to easily walk without assistance) * Possessing a complete set of teeth (either natural or restored with crowns) * Classified as Class I malocclusion according to Angle's criteria. Inclusion criteria for Group B * 50-65 years old * Physically and cognitively healthy (able to easily walk without assistance) * Fully edentulous * Wear complete dentures
Exclusion criteria
* Parkinson's Disease * Morbid obesity i.e. BMI values exceeding 40, calculated based on body weight and height requested over the phone or during the visit * Occlusion altered due to a non-physiological condition i.e. trauma or pathology * Active temporomandibular joint disorder * Pregnancy, as pregnancy-related physiological changes could influence the study's balance and gait measurements. This exclusion will be based on self-report during the screening process, and no additional testing will be conducted. * Any other condition that in the opinion of the study researchers has potential to impact balance or gait
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Center of pressure | 60-90 minutes | This outcome will be assessed from data collected with a motion capture system (consisting of specialized infrared cameras), which will document the kinematics of reflective markers, placed on the subjects' head and body. |
| Postural sway | 60-90 minutes | This outcome will be assessed from data collected with a motion capture system (consisting of specialized infrared cameras), which will document the kinematics of reflective markers, placed on the subjects' head and body. |
| Stride length | 60-90 minutes | This outcome will be assessed from data collected with a motion capture system (consisting of specialized infrared cameras), which will document the kinematics of reflective markers, placed on the subjects' head and body. |
| Step width | 60-90 minutes | This outcome will be assessed from data collected with a motion capture system (consisting of specialized infrared cameras), which will document the kinematics of reflective markers, placed on the subjects' head and body. |
| Gait velocity | 60-90 minutes | This outcome will be assessed from data collected with a motion capture system (consisting of specialized infrared cameras), which will document the kinematics of reflective markers, placed on the subjects' head and body. |
| Muscle activation | 60-90 minutes | This outcome will be assessed from data collected with wireless Electromyography (consisting of small sensors), which will document the activation of specific muscle groups, controlling head and jaw position. |
Countries
United States
Contacts
Primary ContactAlexandros Tsouknidas, PhD
Outcome results
None listed