II. Stylohyoid chain ossification: a discussion of etiology

It has been estimated that between 2% and 4% of the general adult population has radiographic evidence of an ossification of the stylohyoid chain. In an effort to prove that this is also the case in children and adolescents, 150 panoramic radiographs were examined at the Department of Pedodontics of St. Justine's Hospital in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. A total of 300 styloid processes and stylohyoid chains were evaluated and measured radiographically. The patients' mean age was 11 years. The mean length of the styloid processes was 10 mm. Forty percent of the population without symptoms studied showed some evidence of stylohyoid ligament ossification. Sixty percent of these were males; 40% were females. It was also found that 65.6% had no history of cervicopharyngeal trauma on review of the medical and dental histories.