Análise da angulação latero medial da fossa mandibular nos diferentes tipos faciais

Abstract

The Stomatognathic Apparatus (SA) is a physiological and functional entity involved in functional acts such as speech, chewing, and food swallowing. Among the most important functions of the stomatognathic apparatus is chewing. The chewing cycle consists of movements of separation and occlusion of the upper and lower teeth, with a tear-shaped movement pattern. To perform this movement, the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) undergo rotation and translation, which combine in the chewing cycle. In this sense, the present study evaluated the differences in the angulation/inclination of the mandibular fossa and, consequently, the TMJs for the three facial types, namely Leptoprosopo, Mesoprosopo, and Euryprosopo, as well as their interference with the range of motion and chewing efficiency. For this purpose, 30 skulls were used, with 50% male and 50% female, five of each facial type for both sexes. The existing facial indices up to the present moment did not coincide with the values found in the analyzed skulls, allowing us to infer that Brazilian miscegenation resulted in specific proportions, and through the use of regionally known skulls, specific values were proposed for the facial types of the Brazilian population. Furthermore, after statistical analysis, no statistically significant differences were found in any of the cross-referencing between sex and facial type. On the other hand, asymmetry between the inclinations/angulations of the mandibular fossae of the two antimeres was observed in 13 skulls, indicating a structural issue that favors temporomandibular dysfunctions (TMDs).