This study was performed to investigate the relationship between cervical curvature and the spatial position of die posterior part of the atlas imaged in the lateral cephalograph. Sixty six patients with temporomandb* disorders(TMD) and twenty dental students were selected for patients group and control goup, respectively. ´~ average age of patients group was 26.3 years, and 24.9 years in control group.
Measured variables were cervical depth, upper space between the atlas and the base of the occiput, lower spu between the atlas and the spinous process of the axis, area of the posterior part of the atlas imaged in the la0aj cephalograph, and thee cervical curvature passing through the uppermost point in dorsal side of Dens of the A= b the lowermost and rearmost point of the 5th cervical vertebra. The reliability of the method used for measwiq cervical curvature with. curved ruler ´was also tested.
The results. obtained were as follows
1. Cervical depth of patients group was 122.9mm and significantly shorter than that of control group, in which cervix)
depth was 131.9nun, and cervical depth was significantly correlated with other variables in all subjects.
2. Upper space was greater in patients group, but total space including upper and lower space showed no different
between the two groups. The average value of total space was 26.5mm
3. Area of the posterior part of the atlas was 168.2mm2 in patients group, and 186.Siiuri in control group with significant difference between the two groups.
4. Average range of radius of cervical curvature were 33 - 40cm and there was no difference between the two groups 5. There was no significant correlation between the cervical curvature and the area of the posterior arch of the ads 6. The method using curved ruler for measuring cervical curvature could be accepted as a reliable method.
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