Prevalence of alterations of the stylohyoid complex in digital panoramic radiographs

• Main Authors: Wilson Gomes do Nascimento Júnior (Author), Gustavo Nascimento de Souza Pinto (Author), Lilian Cristina Vessoni Iwaki (Author), Mariliani Chicarelli da Silva (Author), Pablo André Amoroso Silva (Author), Elen de Souza Tolentino (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Editorial Ciencias Médicas, 2015-02-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 0034-7507; 1561-297X
• Keywords: apófisis estiloides; ligamento estilohioideo; radiografía panorámica.; Dentistry; RK1-715; Medicine (General); R5-920
• Source: Revista Cubana de Estomatología, Vol 52, Iss 2, Pp 12-18 (2015)

Introduction: alterations of the stylohyoid chain are common, taking the shape of styloid process elongation and stylohyoid ligament ossification. Changes may either be asymptomatic or trigger a number of symptoms such as headache. Objective: determine the prevalence of styloid process elongation and stylohyoid ligament ossification in panoramic radiographs based on distribution by age, sex and affected side. Methods: examination was conducted of 300 digital panoramic radiographs from the registries of a dental radiology service. Radiographs were randomly selected from among those performed in 2012, and evaluated by a single researcher. The radiographs considered were those in which the temporal styloid process exceeded in more than 1 cm the lowermost edge of the earlobe cartilage and those in which the stylohyoid ligament was radiopaque. Results: the study found 108 radiographs (36 %) meeting these requirements. There was a higher prevalence of styloid process elongation and/or stylohyoid ligament ossification among women (63 %), whereas the condition was bilateral in 72 % of the cases, with a predominance of the 61-70 age group. Conclusion: prevalence of alterations of the stylohyoid complex in the radiographs analyzed was 36%. Most alterations were bilateral. There was a predominance of women from the above-mentioned age group.