Thoracic-lumbar-sacral spine sagittal alignment and cranio-mandibular morphology in adolescents

The relationship between thoracic-lumbar-sacral spine sagittal alignment and craniofacial morphology is still controversial. Evidence-based results are difficult to obtain and scientific studies are inhomogeneous. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference of thoracic-lumbar-sacral spine posture and cephalometric values comparing two groups of subjects with different cranial structure in the sagittal plane. Eighty-one subjects were consecutively selected and divided into two groups, according to the orientation of the condyle-orbital plane (CoOr) with respect to the superior maxilla (SpP): Group1: 49 subjects 11.6 (2.1) years showing posterior-rotation of CoOr: SpP^CoOr ≤ −2°, −4.1°(2.1°); Group2: 32 subjects 12.9 (2.3)years showing anterior-rotation of CoOr: SpP^CoOr ≥ 2°, 3.7°(1.9°). Each patient underwent in blinding, Spinal Mouse recording and cephalometry of the skull. Group1 showed a significant forward tilting of the spine 4.4°(1.8°) with respect to Group2 2.4°(1.3°) (p