title: Relationship between articular eminence inclination and alterations of the mandibular condyle: a CBCT study.
abstract: This study aimed at verifying the correlation among angulation of the articular eminence (AE), shape of the condyle and its degenerative bone diseases (DBDs), according to age and sex, through Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT). Five hundred and twenty-eight temporomandibular joints (TMJ) were evaluated. The condyles were classified as: flat, convex, angled and rounded, and the AE angulation was measured. The DBDs evaluated were osteophytes, flattening, erosion, subcortical cysts and spinal sclerosis. There was no difference in the mean angulations in relation to age group (p>0.05). In age groups of 60-69 years (p=0.003) and 70 years or over (p=0.021), the angulation was higher in males. There was an association between DBD and sex (p=0.047), in that the prevalence was higher in females. Differences in AE angles were not observed in condyles with one or no DBDs (p>0.05). However, the presence of two or more DBDs led to a decrease in the angle (p<0.05). Angled condyles showed higher AE angulations than the flat and convex types (p<0.01). In conclusion, the AE inclination is influenced by DBD and condyle shape; an association of two or more bone diseases in the condyle, or its flat or convex anatomy, results in a decrease in the angulation.
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Campinas - Unicamp, Piracicaba Dental School, Department of Oral Diagnosis, Oral Radiology, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Saione Cruz
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Sa
authors.affiliation: University of Iowa College of Dentistry, Oral Pathology, Radiology and Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA.
authors.forename: Saulo Leonardo Sousa
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual da Paraíba - UEPB, Department of Oral Diagnosis, Oral Radiology, Campina Grande, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniela Pita de
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Campinas - Unicamp, Piracicaba Dental School, Department of Oral Diagnosis, Oral Radiology, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Deborah Queiroz
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal da Bahia - UFBA, Department of Oral Diagnosis, Oral Radiology, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Sérgio Flores
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Campos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008336:Mandibular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult