Clinical trial NCT06870084: Masseter Muscle Thickness and Craniofacial Skeletal Patterns
Official title: The Relationship Between Masseter Muscle Thickness and Different Craniofacial Skeletal Patterns
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Masseter
Ultrasonography
Malocclusions
Cephalometry
Keywords: masseter muscle
malocclusion
ultrasonography
cephalometry
maxillofacial development
Lead sponsor: Kutahya Health Sciences University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2025-03-11
Enrollment: 101
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: COHORT
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Healthy patients with orthodontic malocclusion were included in the study.

Brief summary: Facial morphology is influenced by hard and soft tissues, including bone and muscle. While numerous factors can lead to changes in bone tissue, soft tissues such as muscle also have an important influence. It is widely acknowledged that the function, shape and thickness of masticatory muscles have substantial effects on facial morphology and skeletal development, and are correlate with other anthropometric variables. Furthermore, a correlation has been observed between masseter muscle thickness and various characteristics of the dental arches, such as alveolar process thickness and intermaxillary width.

The evaluation of soft tissue in the region of the face is a more challenging process in comparison to that of hard tissue.The recent development of cone beam computed tomography has improved the analysis of three-dimensional skeletal morphology and jaw. However, the radiographic assessment of soft tissue remains more difficult.The thickness of masticatory muscles can be measured using computerised tomography; however, this has the disadvantage of exposing the patient to radiation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an imaging technique that can be used to assess soft tissues. However, this technique is expensive and time-consuming. Furthermore, MRI is a static rather than a dynamic imaging technique, which makes it difficult to analyse during muscle contraction and relaxation. Ultrasound is a technique that provides dynamic imaging that can assess the masticatory muscles without the use of ionising radiation.

There are many publications in the literature that indicate that malocclusions in the vertical and sagittal dimensions can be assessed with measurements from lateral cephalometric radiographs.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria: Patients who

* Patients who were 18 years of age or older,
* had skeletal malocclusion,
* were systemically healthy,
* were not taking any medication,
* had no missing teeth except for the third molars,
* had no history of congenital and/or acquired anomalies in the lips, mouth and facial regions,
* had not received orthodontic treatment before

Exclusion Criteria: Patients who

* were younger than 18 years of age
* were with systemic disease,
* used antidepressant drugs before,
* has bruxism habit,
* had orthodontic treatment or has active orthodontic treatment,
* had history of trauma and surgery in the maxillofacial region

Primary outcomes:
measure: The correlation between masseter muscle thickness and sagittal skeletal malocclusions
timeFrame: Just at the enrollment of the patients
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Kutahya
country: Turkey
facility: Kutahya Health Science University
Study officials:
References:
citation: Togninalli D, Antonarakis GS, Papadopoulou AK. Relationship between craniofacial skeletal patterns and anatomic characteristics of masticatory muscles: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Prog Orthod. 2024 Sep 9;25(1):36. doi: 10.1186/s40510-024-00534-2.