Evaluation of sexual dimorphism and the relationship between craniofacial, dental arch and masseter muscle characteristics in mixed dentition

Purpose to evaluate sexual dimorphism and the relationship between craniofacial characteristics, dental arch morphology and masseter muscle thickness in children in the mixed dentition stage. Methods the study sample comprised 32 children, aged 6-10 years (14♀/18♂) with normal occlusion. Craniofacial characteristics, dental morphology and masseter muscle thickness were evaluated by means of posteroanterior cephalometric radiographs, dental cast evaluation and ultrasound exam, respectively. The results were analyzed using Shapiro-Wilk test, Mann-Whitney/t-test and stepwise linear regression to assess the relation between face width and age, gender, body mass index, masseter thickness, distances between first molars and canines on dental casts (between cusps/cervical points), nasal, maxillary, mandibular and intermolar widths. Results masseter thickness showed no significant difference between the sides left/right. The comparison between genders showed significant difference only in face width, being larger in boys. The regression model showed that face width was positively related with body mass index, masseter thickness, mandibular first molar distances (cusps), mandibular canine distances (cervical points), and maxillary intermolar width; and negatively with maxillary (cusps) and mandibular molar distances (cervical points) and mandibular canine distances (cusps). That is, when the other studied variables were considered, the explanatory variable gender did not reach a significant value. Conclusion in the studied sample, the dimensions of the dental arches and masseter thickness did not differ between boys and girls; moreover, face width showed significant relationship with body mass index, masseter thickness, and dimensions of dental arches; but gender did not contribute significantly to face width variation.