Abstract
This study was performed to investigate the morophological and positional correlation between the upper cervical vertebra, the oral structures and the pharyngeal tissues, and the correlation of these anatomical structures with dental features, such as teeth wear area nad tooth contact status, etc. Seventy patients with temporamandibular disorders and sixty three dental students without any signs and symptoms in head and neck region were selected for this study. All they had natural dentition without any fixed and removable protheses. Teeth wear area and arch width wre measured from the upper dental cast, tooth contact status were observed by T-Scan system$^\textregistered$ and four cephaloradiograpohs were taken from four head postures, namely, natural(NHP), forward(FHP), upward(UHP), and downward head postiure(DHP). 22 cephalometric items were measured on the films and the data were processed with SAS statistical program. The result of this study were as follows : 1. In normal group, angle of cervical vertebra tangent and of between hard and soft palate were broader in female subjects than those in male subjacets, but distance from subocciput to axis, size of soft palate, and pharyngeal space width were larger in male subjects. 2. In normal group with natural head posture, the items correlated each others from the three anatomical regions were distance between first nad second vertebra in posterior part, distance from the lingual surface of lower anterior teeth to anterior surface of soft palate, and distance from the hyoid bone to third vertebra. 3. Three set of items showed significant correlation each other in the four head postures in normal group. First set was the angle between hard and soft palate and the idstance from subocciput to posterior arch of first vertebra, second set was the distance between first and second vertebra in posterior part and the teeth wear area, third set was number and force of tooth contact and length of soft palate and distance from anterior tip of hyoid bone to mandibular plane.
