title: Effects of early bilateral mandibular first molar extraction on condylar and ramal vertical asymmetry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate the mandibular vertical asymmetry in a group of adult patients who had early bilateral mandibular first molar extractions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mandibular asymmetry index measurements (condylar, ramal, and condylar plus ramal) were made on the panoramic radiographs of a study group including 30 subjects (mean age, 18.22 ± 1.30 years) and a control group of 25 subjects (mean age, 18.24 ± 1.17 years). Group I comprised the control group patients with no extractions and had excellent class I relationships, no missing teeth, and slight or moderate anterior crowding. Group II included patients with a bilateral mandibular first molar teeth extracted before the age of 12 years. Student's t test was used for the comparison of asymmetry index values between the groups. A paired t test was used to determine possible statistically significant differences between the sides for condylar, ramal, and condylar plus ramal height measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No group showed statistically significant side-specific differences for posterior vertical height measurements. Condylar asymmetry index (CAI), ramal asymmetry index, and condylar plus ramal asymmetry index measurements were not statistically different between the groups (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CAI values were significantly high when compared with the 3 % threshold value in the both groups, but comparisons between the groups were not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This article investigates the effects of early bilateral mandibular molar teeth extraction that has never been investigated in the literature. The present study showed that the lengths of the condylar, ramal, and condylar plus ramal height were less in the study group than in a well-matched control group of without extraction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Abant İzzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey.
authors.forename: Koray
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Halicioglu
authors.forename: Mevlut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Celikoglu
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caglaroglu
authors.forename: Suleyman Kutalmis
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Buyuk
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Akkas
authors.forename: Ahmet Ercan
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Sekerci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D005146:Facial Asymmetry / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000473:pathology*; D008336:Mandibular Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008963:Molar / Q000601:surgery*; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic / Q000379:methods; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult