Mandibular deformation among violin players

Abstract

Pressure is exerted against the violinist's mandible when he plays the instrument. I compared the craniofacial morphology of violinists with that of patients with mandibular deformities using standardized frontal cephalograms. The subjects included 10 violinists and 15 patients with mandibular deformities. I collected data for the zygoma line, mastoidate line, anterior nasal spine to menton line, condylion line, antegonion notch line and the maxillary molar line. Correlation analysis was done on all of these lines. Among violin players, a significant correlation (p<0.01) was found between the antegonion notch line and the zygoma line. A significant correlation (p<0.05) was also found between the antegonion notch line and the anterior nasal spine to menton line. The same was true for the antegonion notch line and condylon line. Among mandibular deformity patients, a significant correlation (p<0.01) was found between the antegonion notchline and the anterior nasal spine to menton line. The condylon line and zygoma line had the same significant correlation. A significant correlation (p<0.05) was found between the antegonion notch line and maxillary molar line. I found that the temporal bone and mandible were deformed in a similar manner.