title: Tomographic stability of condyle fossa relationships in 40 treated temporomandibular disorder patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Condylar position and stability after treatment of 40 temporomandibular disorder patients was studied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study determined pretreatment position and posttreatment condylar stability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty temporomandibular disorder patients with symptoms of muscles of mastication pain, temporomandibular joint sounds, attrition, interceptive occlusal contacts, and restricted range of motion were used. Axial corrected midcut sagittal tomograms were made of the 80 temporomandibular joints before treatment. Tracings from the tomograms were used to measure and analyze pretreatment position and posttreatment stability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pretreatment condyle fossa position was not concentric in 26 of 80 patients (32.5%). Posttreatment condylar position showed no change and was statistically stable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study of 40 temporomandibular disorder patients, no statistical change in condylar position was detected. Variable condylar positions were found in the 80 pretreatment axial corrected midcut sagittal tomograms. All patients were asymptomatic after 1 year.
authors.affiliation: College of Dentistry, Ohio State University, Columbus, USA.
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003768:Dental Occlusion, Centric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017090:Occlusal Splints; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D013706:Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D014056:Tomography, X-Ray; D014716:Vertical Dimension