Correlation between mandibular morphology and masticatory muscle thickness in normal occlusion and mandibular prognathism

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between masticatory muscle thickness and mandibular morphology in young Korean adults with normal occlusion and mandibular prognathism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) was used to measure the masticatory muscle thickness on the right side in 100 Korean young adults (50 normal occlusion group, 50 mandibular prognathism group). Cephalometric analysis was done to measure mandibular morphology. Pearson correlation analysis was done to investigate the relationship between the masticatory muscle thickness and mandibular morphometry. RESULTS: The four masticatory muscles showed positive correlation with intergonial width in all subjects. All muscles, except temporalis, positively correlated with height of the ramus and mandibular length. Positive correlation was also observed in all muscles, except medial pterygoid, with thickness of the ramus. In the normal occlusion group, all four masticatory muscles showed positive correlation with intergonial width and ramus thickness. Positive correlation was also observed in all muscles (except lateral pterygoid) with mandibular length. Masseter and lateral pterygoid positively correlated with height of the ramus. In the mandibular prognathism group, all masticatory muscles, except lateral pterygoid, showed positive correlation with intergonial width. The masseter muscle showed negative correlation with ANB. CONCLUSION: The results suggest a positive correlation of the thickness of masticatory muscles with both horizontal and vertical dimensions of the mandible. However, thickness of the masseter was found to decrease in patients with increasing severity of mandibular prognathism.