The variability of condylar point pathways in open-close jaw movements.
BACKGROUND
Clinical assessments of condylar movement often rely on the movement of a single clinically determined or average value condylar point.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this investigation was to study the effect of differences in condylar point location on recorded movement trajectories with an open-close jaw movement.


METHODS
Recordings were made of the movements of various condylar points in 44 subjects. The points were identified clinically (average value points) and radiographically.


RESULTS
The trajectory of each condylar point, whether average value or radiographically determined, was different in form and dimension from any other condylar point within a subject for the same open-close jaw movement.


CONCLUSIONS
Depending on the point chosen in the vicinity of the condyle, quite different interpretations of condylar movement within a subject could be made. The data underscore the caution that must be exercised when interpreting condylar movement from the movement of a single condylar point.
Peck
C C
CC
University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia.
Murray
G M
GM
Johnson
C W
CW
Klineberg
I J
IJ
D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D006801:Humans; D007574:Jaw Relation Record; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed