Análisis de la simetría ósea mandibular mediante el trazado de líneas angulares en niños con mordida cruzada unilateral

Abstract

Introduction: Patients with crossbite may develop skeletal asymmetry in the long term. The fundamental aim of this study is to detrmine whether the unilateral crossbite may produce precocious skeletal alterations that may be quantifiable at the angle of the mandible. Method: 217 panoramic radiographies of children with crossbite were used. The children used in the study were between 6 and 9 years old and in the first stage of mixed dentition. All the goniac angles of the crossbite side and the non-crossbite side were drawn, measured and compared with the computer program tpsDig2. Afterwards, a descriptive and comparative statistical analysis was done. Results: The patients with a right unilateral crossbite presented a bigger goniac angle on their left side, being this difference statistically significant. The patients with a left unilateral crossbite also showed a bigger goniac angle on their left side, but in this case the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions: There was no relationship between the side of the crossbite and the size of the mandibular bone at the goniac angle in children in their first stage of mixed dentition.