title: The prevalence of bifid mandibular condyle detected in a Brazilian population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of bifid mandibular condyle (BMC) detected on panoramic radiographs in a Brazilian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The panoramic radiographs of 50 080 radiographs taken from 1999 to 2006 were retrospectively reviewed in order to identify BMC cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  9 (0.018%) of the 50 080 patients, 2 men and 7 women, with age ranging from 20 years to 74 years, had BMC. These conditions were unilateral in 7 (78%) subjects and bilateral in 2 (22%) subjects. All patients denied a history of any previous trauma or fracture of the mandible, pain, or trismus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BMC is an uncommon finding in a group of Brazilian subjects and, although it is rare, dentists should be aware of this condition on routine panoramic radiographs and its implications for function and appropriate treatment modalities.
authors.affiliation: Oral Radiology, School of Dentistry of Piracicaba-UNICAMP, Brazil.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: de Moraes Ramos
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: de Vasconcelos-Filho
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Kurita
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haiter-Neto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000002:abnormalities*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014054:Tomography