Carolina Santos,Joana Godinho,Luís Jardim,Mónica Amorim,Roberto Palma dos Reis ,
Relationship Between Styloid Process Size and the Skeletal Craniofacial Pattern: A Cross-Sectional Study
Dental Oral Biology and Craniofacial Research
2020
2613-4950
http://dx.doi.org/10.31487/j.DOBCR.2020.01.07
https://www.sciencerepository.org/relationship-between-styloid-process_DOBCR-2020-1-107 
Abstract: Objective: The purpose of this correlation study was to evaluate a possible association between the styloid
process size and different craniofacial skeletal patterns, in the sagittal and the vertical planes.
Methods: 59 consecutive orthodontic adult patients were selected. The styloid process length was measured
on pretreatment panoramic radiographs and the cephalometric skeletal variables on lateral cephalometric
radiographs. Data were analyzed using independent sample T-Tests, Mann-Whitney U Tests and
Spearman´s partial correlations (=5%).
Results: Males exhibited longer styloid processes than females (p=0.029), with a mean difference of 7.5mm.
Within each individual, right and left styloid process length was similar (r= 0.77; p<0.001). No relationship
was found between the size of the styloid process and the sagittal skeletal pattern. A moderate significant
correlation was present between the size of the styloid process and some vertical cephalometric skeletal
variables: Ar-Go-Me (r=0.32; p=0.02), PFH/AFH (r=-0.29; p=0.03) and MP-SN (r=0.28; p=0.03).
Conclusion: Longer styloid processes tend to be associated with high angle skeletal patterns. Orthodontists,
general dentists and oral surgeons should be aware that elongation of the styloid process is more frequently
verified in hyperdivergent individuals.Keywords: Styloid process length, Cephalometric variables, Vertical pattern, Sagittal pattern