title: [Is it possible to make a diagnosis on only the morphological appearance in a child? Importance of complementary examinations in dentofacial orthopedics].
abstract: Orthodontic diagnosis cannot be made from the morphological appearance of the patient alone. The skeleton cannot be seen except by radiography. And the positioning of the dental system within the cranio-facial mass depends on the caprice of the musculature which may even simulate displacement of mandible in connection to maxillae. It is to illustrate this fact that we have selected from the Orthodontic Dept. of the Institute of Stomatology the cases of 3 children presenting with an abnormality in incisal contact, characterized by vestibular occlusion of the lower incisors clinically reminiscent of mandibular prognathism. In all of them we found evidence of abnormalities in neuro-muscular behaviour, at rest and in action, whilst teleradiography showed only one case with sagittal displacement of the maxillae, with a Coutand guide mark 9 mm below the bissector.
mesh_terms: D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008410:Masticatory Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D009068:Movement; D011859:Radiography; D014059:Tongue / Q000503:physiopathology; D014716:Vertical Dimension
vernacular_title: Peut-on faire un diagnostic sur le seul aspect morphologique d'un enfant. Importance des examens complémentaires en orthopédie dento-faciale