Evaluation of masticatory muscles in patients with different sagittal direction skeletal anomalies by ultrasonography and ultrasonographic elastography.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluated the masseter, anterior digastric and geniohyoid muscles of individuals with similar growth and developmental periods but different sagittal skeletal malocclusions using ultrasonography and ultrasonographic elastography and to make interclass assessments. METHODS: In this study, ultrasonography and ultrasonographic elastography records of 30 Class I individuals (17 females, 13 males), 30 Class II individuals (14 females, 16 males), and 27 Class III individuals (12 females, 15 males) in the normodivergent and growth development period were used. The masseter, anterior digastric, and geniohyoid muscles of individuals were examined using ultrasonography and ultrasonographic elastography, and comparisons were made between the classes. Statistical analysis was accomplished by Mann Whitney U, One-way ANOVA, Kruskal Wallis H tests. RESULTS: Interclass differences were found in ultrasonography and elastography measurements of the masseter muscle. However, no differences were observed in ultrasonography measurements of the auxiliary masticatory muscles, whereas differences were seen only in the geniohyoid muscle in elastography measurements among the classes (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Individuals with different sagittal skeletal malocclusions during growth and development exhibited similar muscle sizes and elasticities, approximately close to each other.