Analisi della correlazione tra dimensione facciale verticale e muscolo massetere in pazienti in crescita

OBJECTIVES. The aim of the present study was to analyse the anatomical three-dimensional characteristics of masseter muscle in growing subjects by using an ultrasound method. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The sample comprised 60 prepubescent subjects. According to the facial divergence (Frankfort-Mandibular plane Angle, FMA) the subjects were divided into three groups with different underlying vertical facial patterns: brachyfacial, FMA <22°; mesofacial, 22° ≤ FMA ≤ 28°; dolichofacial, FMA > 28°. For each subject, an ultrasound scan was carried out in order to analyse the masseter muscle's width, thickness, cross-sectional area and volume. RESULTS. Measurements of the whole masseter in dolichofacial patients were significantly smaller when compared with brachyfacial and mesofacial individuals. CONCLUSIONS. A significant negative correlation was found between the ultrasound measurements and the divergence (FMA).