PURPOSE: the study was conducted in order to investigate the difference among groups with class II and class III dentofacial deformities regarding reported chewing side preference and head inclination during chewing and to determine the intra-group predominance for these features when compared to a control group. METHODS: twenty-five volunteers aged from 15 to 34 years took part in the study, 12 of them with a diagnosis of class II dentofacial deformity, 13 with class III dentofacial deformity, and 10 control volunteers aged from 18 to 32 years matched for sex and age to the groups with deformity. The subjects were questioned on the presence of a chewing side preference and were recorded during habitual chewing of a cornstarch cookie for analyzing head posture through the images. RESULTS: there was no difference among the groups regarding reported chewing side preference, although the groups with dentofacial deformities had a significant predominance of reported chewing side preference. The groups with dentofacial deformities showed a greater predominance of head inclination during chewing when compared to the control. CONCLUSION: individuals with dentofacial deformities may show a chewing side preference and changes in head posture during chewing.
Malocclusion; Posture; Head; Mastication
