Elongated styloids that are in multiple pieces - more complicated symptoms & procedure?

I just had a cone beam xray done and it has amazing detail. Doctors have been telling me for years that my pain is probably TMJ related. The dentist assured me that there is NO evidence of TMJ wear or arthritis in my joint. He did note my very long calcified styloids. He said it was beyond him.

The one thing I think I see from the renderings is that it looks like both of my styloids are in multiple pieces. At least this is what I see.

Question is: Do the styloids that are in multiple pieces wreak more havok with travelling symptoms since they are basically floating around and not anchored down? Pure speculation... just wondering.

Also, I believe that I read that it's more difficult to remove the styloids that are in pieces?

For those who have had surgery - what do you think? Also, is the recovery different?

Thanks so much!

Hi JCW,

The Cone X-Ray sounds very interesting and perhaps just what I have been searching for. Are dentists the only practitioners that use them?

As for your "styloids in multiple pieces", perhaps it is not the styloid process that the image shows and rather a calcified stylohyoid ligament. Ectopic calcification tends to form (or crystalize) on soft tissue and therefore the pieces you see wouldn't necessarily be free floating, but instead, they would be anchored to something (tendons, ligaments, muscle), just not fully filled in and touching each other.

I have both, ossified (bone growth) elongated styloid processes, and calcified soft tissue in the back of my neck. None of my last 3 CT scans showed the calcification, but it did show up on a standard X-Ray. I confirmed with a radiology technician that X-Rays were the best format for viewing calcification. Have the "multiple pieces Styloids" shown up on any CT Scan?

Red Pill

Thanks for the detail!

I don’t know if anyone else is using the cone beam but they have much lower radiation and images are incredible.

Good question about the cat scan image! I’m going to have to go back thru my cat scan and get back to you.

G



Red Pill said:

Hi JCW,

The Cone X-Ray sounds very interesting and perhaps just what I have been searching for. Are dentists the only practitioners that use them?

As for your “styloids in multiple pieces”, perhaps it is not the styloid process that the image shows and rather a calcified stylohyoid ligament. Ectopic calcification tends to form (or crystalize) on soft tissue and therefore the pieces you see wouldn’t necessarily be free floating, but instead, they would be anchored to something (tendons, ligaments, muscle), just not fully filled in and touching each other.

I have both, ossified (bone growth) elongated styloid processes, and calcified soft tissue in the back of my neck. None of my last 3 CT scans showed the calcification, but it did show up on a standard X-Ray. I confirmed with a radiology technician that X-Rays were the best format for viewing calcification. Have the “multiple pieces Styloids” shown up on any CT Scan?

Red Pill

Red Pill

The information you have shared is very interesting, something I have not read before, at least if I have I didn't comprehend it all.

JCW,

The Cone x-ray is very interesting, sometimes I wonder why there isn't more coordination done regarding types of x-rays.

Hi there, I know this a bit off topic but I’m curious about the cone scan- this is not the same thing as a 3d scan or a panorex x-Ray, correct? Also, is the cone scan something your dentist or or an oral surgeon would order?
I have been told I do not have any enlongated styloids (“in fact, they are short,” according to two ENT’s I’ve seen. This is based on only a regular CT and a MRI (neither, I have learned are optimal for diagnosis)- however, the area where my styloid is is hard and that’s where most of the pain radiates from, and so I have been thinking that perhaps it’s not an enlogation issue but a calcification issue (please feel free to read the post “is this where the bone is?” To see the area I’m talking about. Id love any insight, also I’m soooo glad to hear a cone scan is much less radiation , I’ve had a lot, too much.
Thanks :slight_smile: Julie

Hi Julie,

The cone beam X-ray was in the dentist office. You could call around and find out who has one. I went to a center for advanced dentistry. They use them specifically for TmJ joint review. So maybe dentists that specialize in TMJ may be more likely? Just a guess on my part. I don’t have dental insurance and it was $295 for the scan where I went. You can google images cone beam X-ray elongated styloid and see what the images look like.
I hope this helps!