Ossificação do complexo estilohióide em uma população com disfunção temporomandibular: um estudo caso controle

Abstract

The styloid process arises from the tympanic part of the temporal bone and he is considered elongated if it has 30 mm in length or longer. Many of the symptons associated with an elongated styloid process, such as pain in the ear, neck and head are also temporomandibular disorders (TMD) symptons. With the objective of investigating a possible correlation among TMD and styloid process elongation, we achieve a case-control study that intended to evaluate, through panoramic x-rays, the incidence of alterations in the length of styloid processes in TMD patients (cases) and in non TMD individuals (controls). The study was achieve among patients of the Orofacial Pain Clinic, at Minas Gerais Federal University School of Dentistry and it was approved by the local Research Ethics Committee. The case and control groups were considered homogeneous according to age and gender. There were 78 patients in the case group and 93 at the control one. Among cases, 44.9% presented with styloid process elongation, against 46.2% in the control group, a no significant difference (p=0.858). There were no correlation between patients medical history (tonsillectomy, entubation, neck trauma, cervicopharyngeal surgery), and the presence of styloid process elongation (p=0.819; p=0.494; p=0.829; p=0.703, respectively). Also correlation didn't exist between symptoms ( pain when swallowing, foringn body sensation in the throat, pain on turning the head) and ossification (p=0.658; p=0.980; p=0.405, respectively). Association was observed between the symptoms pain when swallowing and pain on turning the head and TMD (p<0.05 e p<0.01, respectively), what suggests that the symptoms are more associated with presence of TMD than stylohyoid complex ossification. The results of this study suggest that there is no correlation among presence of TMD and styloid process elongation. The stylohyoid complex ossification can be considered as a common finding. We suggested the accomplishment of more studies in the intention of investigating the hypothesis of Eagles syndrome symptoms may be caused, in fact, by a myofascial pain process in the area, and no properly by the elongated styloid process.