A Radiological Method on the Classification of Human Mandibular Condyles

Abstract

A radiological quantitative method applied in the classification of 210 mandibular condyles from 105 male and female subjects, aged 18-62 with no temporomandibular disorders has been taken up in this study. Through coronal sections, types of condyles were first determined by computer tomography (CT) per anterio-posterior aspects and then divided into four main groups described as flat, convex, angled and round. Then, using the parameters, every condyle type was divided into three subgroups. Finally, the percentage of each group has been estimated as follows: flat, 14.3%; convex, 35.2%; angled, 35.7% and round, 14.8%. When the condylar type was compared with sex, it was observed that the angled type (39.6%) in males and the convex type (40.3%) in females were higher than the other types. In the analysis of the relationship between age and condylar types, there appeared to be a trend toward an increase in the incidence of flat and a decrease in the incidence of convex with an increase in the age of males. In addition, following the determination of bilateral symmetry and asymmetry the bilateral asymmetry was determined to be higher in both sexes (56.2%).