Temporal styloid process: its forensic implication in Nigerians

The temporal styloid process is a bony projection, located just anterior to the stylomastoid foramen; the normal length of which is approximately 25-30mm. Elongation of the temporal styloid process may cause various clinical symptoms such as neck and cervicofacial pain, described as Eagle¿s syndrome. The present study aimed to determine the mean length of the temporal styloid process on panoramic radiographs, cadavers, macerated dry skull and to investigate the incidence of the elongated temporal styloid process, while assessing its usefulness as a forensic tool in a Nigerian population. Measurement of the temporal styloid process were obtained from 1410 panoramic radiographs, eighty-three macerated skulls and fifty-six dissected cadaver specimen, all samples were obtained from medical institutions across Nigeria. Negroid origin of all sample used was ascertained. When the measurements from the panoramic radiographs were assessed, the mean length of the temporal styloid process in males and females were found to be 23.65±5.33mm and 24.17±5.98mm respectively (P>0.05). The mean length of the temporal styloid process of cadavers and dry skull was 33.15mm and 19.2mm respectively.