Imaging Sci Dent.  2018 Sep;48(3):213-221. 10.5624/isd.2018.48.3.213.

The relationship between masseter muscle thickness measured by ultrasonography and facial profile in young Korean adults

• Park KM
• Choi E
• Kwak EJ
• Kim S
• Park W
• Jeong JS
• Kim KD

• KMID: 2420549
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5624/isd.2018.48.3.213

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between masseter muscle thickness, facial morphology, and mandibular morphology in Korean adults using ultrasonography.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Ultrasonography was used to measure the masseter muscle thickness bilaterally of 40 adults (20 males, 20 females) and was performed in the relaxed and contracted states. Facial photos and panoramic radiography were used for morphological analyses and evaluated for correlations with masseter muscle thickness. We also evaluated the correlations of age, body weight, stature, and body constitution with masseter muscle thickness.
RESULTS
In the relaxing, the masseter was 9.8±1.3 mm in females and 11.3±1.2 mm in males. In the contracted state, it was 12.4±1.4 mm in females and 14.7±1.4 mm in males. Facial photography showed that bizygomatic facial width over facial height was correlated with masseter muscle thickness in both sexes in the relaxed state, and was statistically significantly correlated with masseter muscle thickness in males in the contracted state. In panoramic radiography, correlations were found between anterior angle length and posterior angle length and masseter muscle thickness in females, and between body length and posterior angle length, between anterior angle length and body length, between ramal length and body length, and between body length and condyle length in males.
CONCLUSION
Masseter muscle thickness was associated with facial and mandibular morphology in both sexes, and with age in males. Ultrasonography can be used effectively to measure masseter muscle thickness.

Keyword

Ultrasonography; Masseter Muscle; Young Adult; Radiography, Panoramic

MeSH Terms

Adult*
Body Constitution
Body Weight
Female
Humans
Male
Masseter Muscle*
Photography
Radiography, Panoramic
Ultrasonography*
Young Adult

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Scanning level of the masseter muscle in axial imaging (yellow area).

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  Fig. 2 Anatomical structure of masseter muscle in an ultrasound image. (A) skin layer; (B) fat layer; (C) masseteric fascia; (D) masseter muscle.

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  Fig. 3 Cross-sectional view of an ultrasound image. A. Relaxed state. B. Contracted state. The yellow dotted line is the masseter muscle thickness.

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  Fig. 4 Schematic diagram of reference points and measurements of length on a facial photograph. Bizygomatic facial width (BFW); intergonial facial width (IGW); facial height (FH).

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  Fig. 5 Schematic diagram of reference points and measurements of length on a panoramic radiograph. Center point of mandibular foramen (C); condyle (Con); coronoid (Cor); posterior gonion (PGo); anterior gonion (AGo); mental foramen (MF).

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