Resumen

CURIOCA ROCHA, Sandra Araceli  y  PORTILLO GUERRERO, Germán. Clinical and radiological determination of the facial somatotype in pediatric patients. Rev. Odont. Mex [online]. 2011, vol.15, n.1, pp.08-13. ISSN 1870-199X.

To establish a treatment plan, it is very important to know the facial somatotype. The facial somatotype can be determined clinically and radiographically, classifying it into three patterns: dolichofacial, mesofacial and brachiofacial. When the somatotype is identified accurately it is important to know if some anomalies can be set in the same facial type, to know if the malocclusions are associated with the somatotype and to offer the appropriate treatment. Objective: To determine if there are differences between radiographical diagnosis (frontal plane) and clinical diagnosis (sagital plane). Methodology: 89 children from 6 to 10 years, both genders, who were treated in the Clinic of Pediatric Dentistry of Postgraduate School, UNAM during 2004-2005 were included in the study. Five children were examined per day to make the clinic and radiographic somatotype diagnosis, until the sample was complete. Data were registered and analyzed with the SPSS 12.0 statistical program; Kappa test was used to measure the reliability of both diagnoses. Results: In the comparisons of the mean value for gender there are not significant differences (p = 0.82). The repeatability of both methods is low (Kappa = 0.192). The χ² test indicates that there is association between gender and somatotype (χ² = 8.4; p = 0.015) in the distribution of somatotypes per clinical diagnosis per gender. However, in the distribution of somatotypes per radiographic diagnosis per gender the test indicates that there is not any association between gender and somatotype (χ² = 0.2; p = 0.902). Conclusions: There is not any correlation between both diagnoses due to that the repeatability between them is low. It is considered that the clinical determination of the facial somatotype is another element considered for the diagnosis.

Palabras llave : Facial somatotype; clinic diagnosis; radiographic diagnosis.