Ossification Styloid Processes: Implications in Dentistry. A Case Report

Javier Elías Fernández Calderón; María Elena Samar Romani & Mario Aníbal Sambrizzi Vicenzotti

Summary

Styloid process is defined as a thin conical bony prominence located on the undersurface of the temporal bone. Its normal length is 20 to 25 mm. Sometimes styloid process is elongated with ossification of stylohyoid ligament and when it is accompanied by a set of signs and symptoms it gives rise to the so called Eagle´s syndrome. Nonspecific pain in the oral cervicofacial area and styloid process palpation in the tonsillar fossa provide a presumptive diagnosis that should be confirmed by imaging studies such as lateral skull teleradiography and orthopantomography that confirm the elongation of styloid processes. An Eagle syndrome case of a male patient referred to the Department of Radiology at the National University of Córdoba School of Dentistry is reported. The computed tomography is the most accurate imaging modality for Eagle´s syndrome identification because through multiplanar reformatted images and three dimensional images allows to observe the elongated styloid processes in a precise and unequivocal way. This diagnosis is relevant since depending on the severity of the symptoms, surgical treatment may avoid serious and severe complications.

KEY WORDS: dentistry, anatomy, imaging diagnostic.

How to cite this article

FERNÁNDEZ, C. J. E.; SAMAR, R. M. E. & SAMBRIZZI, V. M. A. Ossification styloid processes: Implications in dentistry. A case report. Int. J. Odontostomat., 15(1):82-87, 2021.