Correlation between Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) and Posture Evaluated trough the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD): A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Background: Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are a series of disorders that affect the muscles and joint. Symptoms include joint pain, muscle pain, and limitation of mouth opening. One of several multifactorial diseases, temporomandibular dysfunction has mostly been linked to five etiological factors: occlusion, trauma, severe pain stimuli, parafunctional activities, and psychological elements, including stress, anxiety, and depression. The position of the human body as it is displayed in space is referred to as posture. Several nerve pathways regulate posture, and through ligaments, TMD and posture affect each other. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the possible correlation between posture and TMD through a meta-analysis of the literature; Methods: A literature search was performed on PubMed, Lilacs, and Web of science, and articles published from 2000 to 31 December 2022 were considered, according to the keywords entered. The term "temporomandibular disorders" has been combined with "posture", using the Boolean connector AND; Results: At the end of the research, 896 studies were identified from the search conducted on the 3 engines. Only three were chosen to draw up the present systematic study summarizing the article's main findings. The meta-analysis showed through forest plot analysis a correlation between posture and TMD Conclusions: This literature meta-analysis showed a correlation between posture and TMD. Nerve pathways probably regulate both body posture and mandibular posture. Further clinical studies will be needed to confirm this hypothesis and to indicate the main conclusions or interpretations.