title: Tomographic assessment of temporomandibular joints in patients with malocclusion.
abstract: There is a paucity of information on the morphological assessment of the temporomandibular joint in relation to varying skeletal and dental relationships. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the morphologic relationship of the condyle and fossa in patients with different malocclusions and skeletal relationships. Pretreatment records of 232 orthodontic patients, 95 males and 137 females, of Caucasian descent and ranging in age from 9 years 4 months to 42 years 6 months, were examined. Records included dental casts, lateral cephalometric radiographs, hand-wrist radiographs, and corrected tomograms of right and left TM joints. Nonconcentricity and mild asymmetry of the condyle-fossa relationship were commonly observed. The left condyle was found to be more anteriorly positioned than the right, with the mean percentage of joint space being 6.93% on the left side and -1.24% on the right. Skeletal and dental Class III patients demonstrated significantly more anteriorly positioned condyles (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in condylar position between Class I and Class II groups based on ANB or Angle's classification. Further, no significant difference in condylar position was observed between groups based on overbite or crossbite.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City 73190, USA.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Cohlmia
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Nanda
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Currier
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D002348:Carpal Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008311:Malocclusion, Angle Class I / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D003765:Models, Dental; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014056:Tomography, X-Ray; D044465:White People