## 1 Introduction  
For the performance of any activity, be it leisure, business or sports, it is an advantage to have good coordination and physical condition [1; 2; 3]. In this context, balance stability is a major coordination skill [4; 5]; through balance stability, it is possible to maintain an upright balanced stance while executing movements. Balance stability can be assessed, among other things, by the equal percentage distribution of body weight on the right and left forefoot and rearfoot, but also by the movement of the center of pressure (COP) over time; here, shorter distances correspond to smaller fluctuations. The length of the center of pressure (CoP) [6] as well as the distribution of body weight [6] are two frequently used evaluation parameters as they can be reliably measured and validated [6], and are also repeatable [7]. Here, components such as the vestibular system, the visual system and proprioception must interact together with the skeletal musculature where everything is under the control of the central nervous control [8; 9]. As well as maintaining postural balance, the position and the mobility of the cervical spine also play important roles in order to consistently direct the head position and, more precisely, to direct the view to the place of action. However, increasing evidence has come to light that the changing of the dental occlusion position has a sensorimotor effect on structures located more caudally [10; 11; 12; 13; 14]. In particular, the wearing of a splint has been found to harmonize the structures of the temporomandibular system (TMS) leading to a curative balancing effect of possible neuromuscular imbalances [15; 16]. By changing the jaw relation via a custom-made splint, the effect may be twofold: an improvement in ventilation can be achieved, and the prevailing dysfunctions in the TMS can be regulated [17; 18]. Thus, [PERSON] and [PERSON] [17] have concluded that the design of the oral appliance causes an effect on the genigglosus; this results in a lowered respiratory rate and ventilation while showing no negative effects on oxygen uptake during exercise. This is also an important factor for athletes performing at a high level [19]. In their systematic review, [PERSON] et al. [20] examined the effects of occlusal splints on spinal posture in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and concluded that, for these individuals, occlusal splinting might be considered as a non-invasive therapeutic approach. However, they also criticized the low number of high-quality methodologies in the studies and recommended that, in the future, the combination of platform stabilometry and kinematic evaluation should be used to examine the effect of occlusal splints on posture. Thus, [PERSON] et al. [21] concluded in their review that an occlusal splint can be used as a non-invasive treatment approach for patients with TMD, especially in those individuals with signs and symptoms of mandibular movement limitation and pain. In women with TMD, wearing an occlusal splint has been found to be associated with an improvement in postural balance (sway area and sway length) [22]. Furthermore, postural sway was observed to significantly increase in subjects with TMD compared to healthy subjects when the mandible was in maximum intercuspidation or the dental occlusion was in the rest position [23]. It is also important to consider that cervical spine movements may be limited by factors such as TMD or TMD in combinationwith headache [18]. Since balance stability and cervical mobility represent the basic components of both daily and athletic performance and may also be influenced by the temporomandibular system, as described above, in this study we analyzed the possible influence of two different dental occlusion conditions (habitual occlusion, or wearing a splint) on the aforementioned parameters. However, a gender comparison was also given special consideration in this investigation since different postural balance responses have been observed in other studies [24; 25; 26].