title: [Trace features of the mandibular condylar kinematic center during jaw protrusive and open-closing movements in healthy subjects].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the variation in movement traces of different condylar reference points.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 30 healthy subjects, mandibular movements were recorded during protrusion and open-closing of the jaw. The kinematic center and terminal hinge axis point of the condyle were used as reference points.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The kinematic center was located anteriorly and superiorly with respect to the terminal hinge axis point. The trace distance of the kinematic center was longer than that of the terminal hinge axis point of the condyle during opening. In contrast to differences in trace distances of the left and right condylar terminal hinge axis points, no such left-right differences were found for the kinematic centers. The ratio between the distance of opening trace and the distance of protrusion trace of the kinematic center was above 1.5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In comparison to the terminal hinge axis, the kinematic center shows fewer variations in the movement traces.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Peking University School of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Zhengang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Hailan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Guozhen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D007568:Jaw / Q000502:physiology*; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000502:physiology*; D009068:Movement