Can Jaw Occlusion Affect Balance in Athletes?
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Oğuz Öztoprak’s functional sports dentistry approach.
Imagine a footballer. Strong muscles, regular training, high technical capacity. Yet on the pitch he frequently loses balance, struggles with changes of direction and suffers recurrent muscle injuries.
In this case, attention is often directed to the feet, knees, hips or spine. But what about the jaw system?
The relationship between the jaw joint, neck region and spine has been studied for many years. The human body is not made up of structures that work independently of one another. Head position, neck muscle activity, jaw joint functions and postural balance are in constant interaction. For this reason, in some athletes the jaw system is thought to possibly be part of the overall balance mechanism.
Balance Does Not Start Only From the Feet
Most people associate balance only with the feet. However, the balance system constantly exchanges data between:
- The visual system
- The inner ear
- Sensory information from muscles and joints
- The neck region
- The jaw system
Functional changes in any region of the body can affect the way this system works. For this reason, in the modern understanding of sports medicine, the athlete is evaluated holistically rather than through a single region.
Could the Jaw System Be Experiencing a Balance Problem?
We sometimes explain this to our patients with the following example: imagine wearing a high-heeled shoe on one foot and a lower-heeled shoe on the other. In this case your body will constantly seek balance while walking, and your muscles will try to adapt to the new situation.
Similarly, in some individuals the jaw system can also move away from ideal functional balance. Imbalances between the right and left jaw joints, the chewing muscles and the closure of the teeth can place extra load on the neuromuscular system. This is thought to be related, in some individuals, to postural control mechanisms.
Why Is It More Important in Young Athletes?
In athletes in the growth and development period, the following take shape at the same time:
- Spinal development
- Muscle coordination
- The balance system
- Jaw development
- The respiratory system
For this reason, in young athletes it is necessary to pay attention not only to sports performance but also to developmental processes. In particular, the following may be findings that should be evaluated early:
- Mouth breathing
- Narrow jaws
- Crossbites
- Forward or backward jaw problems
- Marked posture disorders
Sports Injuries and Functional Balance
Of course, the jaw system is not the only cause of sports injuries. However, in some athletes it is important to investigate the functional imbalances underlying recurrent injuries.
When muscle chains, posture, spinal balance and the jaw system are evaluated together, more comprehensive information can be obtained about the athlete’s movement pattern. For this reason, multidisciplinary evaluation models are gaining increasing importance in some sports medicine centres.
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Oğuz Öztoprak’s Approach
In our clinic, athlete evaluation is not done by looking only at the teeth. At the same time, the following are evaluated as a whole:
- Jaw joint functions
- Occlusal relationships
- Neck posture
- Spinal balance
- Breathing pattern
- Presence of mouth breathing
- Chewing muscles
- The overall postural system
The aim is not only to correct the teeth, but to understand the athlete’s functional system.
Where Is Sports Dentistry Heading in the Future?
Traditional sports dentistry focused on mouthguards for many years. Today, sports dentistry is turning into a broader discipline that also investigates the relationships between:
- The jaw joint
- The airway
- Breathing
- Posture
- Balance
- The neuromuscular system
This approach offers new opportunities especially for athletes in the developmental period.
Conclusion
In athletes, balance and performance cannot be explained by muscle strength alone. There are complex relationships between the jaw system, neck region, spine and posture.
Although the same results do not apply to every athlete, in some individuals the jaw system can be one of the important parts of overall functional balance. For this reason, modern sports dentistry should focus not only on the teeth but on the athlete’s entire biomechanical system.
Because sometimes what affects performance is not only the strength of the muscles, but how balanced the system works.
If you are also curious about the relationship between the jaw joint and balance and dizziness, you can read our article "Can the Jaw Joint Cause Dizziness and Balance Problems?"
Frequently Asked Questions
Can jaw occlusion affect balance in athletes?
Although it is not the same in every athlete, in some individuals the jaw system can be part of the overall balance mechanism. Imbalances between the right and left jaw joints, the chewing muscles and the closure of the teeth can place extra load on the neuromuscular system.
Does balance start only from the feet?
No. The balance system constantly exchanges data between the visual system, the inner ear, sensory information from muscles and joints, the neck region and the jaw system. For this reason the athlete should be evaluated holistically.
Why is jaw development more important in young athletes?
During the growth period, spinal development, muscle coordination, the balance system, jaw development and the respiratory system take shape at the same time. Mouth breathing, narrow jaws, crossbites and posture disorders can be findings that should be evaluated early.
Is the jaw system the cause of sports injuries?
The jaw system is not the only cause of sports injuries. However, in some athletes it is important to investigate the functional imbalances underlying recurrent injuries.
Is sports dentistry only about mouthguards?
Traditional sports dentistry focused on mouthguards for many years. Today it is turning into a broader discipline that also investigates the relationships between the jaw joint, airway, breathing, posture, balance and the neuromuscular system.
What is the approach to evaluating an athlete?
The evaluation is not done by looking only at the teeth; jaw joint functions, occlusal relationships, neck posture, spinal balance, breathing pattern, mouth breathing, chewing muscles and the overall postural system are considered as a whole.