Postural evaluation in children with atypical swallowing: radiographic study.

PURPOSE To evaluate the cranial posture on lateral teleradiographs of children with atypical swallowing in mixed dentition. METHODS By using cephalometric analysis on lateral teleradiographs, the angles between the odontoid process and cranial base (CC1) and the odontoid process and Frankfurt plane (CC2) were measured in two groups: 55 teleradiographs from the experimental group (with atypical swallowing), and 55 lateral teleradiographs from the control group (normal swallowing). These angular measurements were subjected to statistical analysis. RESULTS The means of the variable CC1 were 99.95 degrees in the experimental group and 96.42 degrees in the control group, with significant difference between them. The means of the variable CC2 were 90.60 degrees in the experimental group and 86.35 degrees in the control group, which was also statistically significant. CONCLUSION The angles CC1 and CC2 are increased in the group with atypical swallowing.