Table 1 Principal papers showed in this review.

McMaster J (1965)

Reference [7]

3 clinical cases

Casual relationship between malocclusion and scoliosis, and viceversa

3 adolescents

10-15 years

After orthodontic treatment, the author observed the improvment of posture

Paper

Type

Main topic

Sample

Age

Main result

Rock and Baker (1972). Reference [9]

Case-report

Class II due to the weared cast

A girl

14 years old

to recommend the use of a removable appliance to prevent the malocclusion before the surgeon operation and during the period of the wearing the cast.

Paper

Type

Main topic

Sample

Age

Main result

Dayan et al. (1977). Reference [10]

Transversal Case-control study

To compare facial morphology of children affected with scoliosis and treated with brace, with health children

15

5-19 years (mean 10 years)

Children treated with braces (for their scoliosis) showed all vertical measurements of face significantly lower than the control group, and more protruted maxillary and mandibular bases

Paper

Type

Main topic

Sample

Age

Main result

Hotchcock HP (1969).

Reference [8]

Observational study on prevalence

Plagiocephaly in subjects with scoliosis

144

The study suggested the existence of an association between infantile scoliosis and plagiocephaly

Paper

Type

Main topic

Sample

Age

Main result

Ben-Bassat Y et al. (2006)

Reference [16]

Observational study on prevalence

Prevalence of scoliosis in patients with ereditated malocclusion

202 adolescents

10-15

The detection of hereditary orthodontic anomalies in young children allows the identification of a group of children who have a high risk of developing scoliosis in later years.

Paper

Type

Main topic

Sample

Age

Main result

Segatto et al. (2008)

Reference [17]

Cohort study

Malocclusion in subjects with idiopathic scoliosis

98 subjects with scoliosis and 705 controls

6.2 - 25.3; mean age 13.9 +/- 3.5

a significant higher prevalence of unilateral Angle class II (asymmetric class II malocclusion) was evident among the patients with scoliosis (21.9%) compared with the control group (8.5%). The differences between the two groups in the prevalence of the midline deviation were statistically significant both in the upper and the lower dental arches.

Paper

Type

Main topic

Sample

Age

Main result

Lippold C et al. (2003).

Reference[18]

Case-control study

To evaluate the differences in occlusion

28 with scoliosis and 68 health children

Mean age 14.7 +/- 2.3

In the group of adolescents with scoliosis, infacts, the unilateral Angle class II relationship showed a significant higher prevalence respect to the control group

Paper

Type

Main topic

Sample

Age

Main result

Lippold et al. (2007)

Reference[19]

Observational

To compare

53 adult patients with Class II and Class III, but withut scoliosis

24.6 +/- 9

an orthopedic examination can be considered for patients undergoing an orthodontic-operative therapy, also when they don't show scoliosis.

Paper

Type

Main topic

Sample

Age

Main result

Korbmacher H. et al. (2007).

Reference[22]

Case-control study

Prevalence of scoliosis in subjects with jaw deformity

85 patients with jaw deformity and 20 control subjects

adults

Of the 85 patients with jaw deformity, 23 (27.1%) had a Cobb angle exceeding 10°. None of the control group had scoliosis exceeding 10°.

Paper

Type

Main topic

Sample

Age

Main result

Pedrotti et al. (2007).

Reference[23]

Case-control

To assess the congruence of the laterality of cross-bite and the orthopaedic asymmetry

55 children with unilateral cross-bite, and 55 children with asymmetric cervical spine (and no cross-bite)

3-10

among the children who revealed an asymmetric upper cervical spine, the unilateral crossbite was not necessarily combined with a pathological orthopaedic variable,

Paper

Type

Main topic

Sample

Age

Main result

Lippold et al. (2000)

Reference[24]

A prevalence stuydy

Prevalence of bilateral crossbite in subjects with scoliosis

428

9-14

an incidence of scoliotic attitudes of 9.5%, with a statistically significant relationship among that disorders of posture, and the presence of ogival palate with bilateral crossbite

Paper

Type

Main topic

Sample

Age

Main result

Azuma Y et al. (1999);

D'Attilio M et al. (2005);

Poikela A et al. (1997);

Nerder PH et al. (1999).

References[34–37]

Animal studies

The appearence of scoliosis after an imbalance of occlusion

animals

/

these experimental studies revealed a high level of asymmetry in craniofacial structures, temporomandibular structures and muscle functions after an experimentally induced crossbite