...the higher prevalence of tympanic foramen found in the Northeast among other studies carried out in Brazil can be attributed to specific dietary habits in the region that could induce the later ...foramen occlusion. ...the existence of this foramen constitutes a route for the spread of infections, which can occur both from temporo-mandibular joint to external acoustic meatus and vice versa (Silva and Collins, 2012; Tozoglu et al., 2012). ...it is important to observe the presence of TF before performing orthognathic procedures on the temporo-mandibular joint. Laterality was recorded and the longitudinal and transverse diameter of the TF were measured with the aid of a digital caliper with an accuracy of 0.01 mm. Data analysis was performed using SPSS statistical software (Version 20.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). The Northeast has a food with dense foods, which are offered in the first years of the child's life. ...the tympanic part of the temporal bone, which continues to grow even after birth, is influenced by the pressure caused by chewing and swallowing (Akcam et al., 2011; Lee and Park, 2018) and, therefore, TF occlusion tends to occur later in life (Afghari et al., 2016).
