[Radiodiagnosis of orthodontic and dysfunctional anomalies of the stomatognathic system: analysis of a sample of 204 patients].
Two hundred and four subjects (86 males and 118 females), aged 8 to 35 years, with different types of malocclusion, underwent panoramic dental radiography and skull teleradiography. This study was aimed at investigating advantages and limitations of the two radiographic techniques, in view of their use as screening methods. On orthopantomography, inferior interincisive point, menthon (Me), and, bilaterally, gonion (Go) and condilion (Co), were localized so as to allow a model of the right and left jaws to be made. On teleradiography of the skull, in lateral view, Steiner's cephalometric analysis allowed skeletal classes to be evaluated according to ANB angle values. Moreover, major postural parameters relative to the relationship between skull and cervical spine were analyzed: atlanto-occipital distance, cranio-vertebral angle, cervical lordosis, and hyoid triangle. Orthopantomography, though not a reproducible technique, can be considered as a valuable screening method for it allows right and left hemi-jaws to be comparatively measured. Cephalometric analysis of postural data confirmed the frequency of wrong postures in orthodontic patients. From the correlation of mandibular asymmetries and cranio-cervical parameters, the authors observed that asymmetrical patients have many postural problems, just like class II skeletal and dolico-facial types. This finding seems to confirm the mixed (functional and skeletal) etiopathogenesis of mandibular asymmetries.