A cone-beam CT study on morphology and position of condylar processes in skeletal Class III adult patients with mandibular deviation

Abstract

To evaluate the morphology and position of condylar processes in skeletal Class III adult patients with mandibular deviation. Twenty skeletal Class III adult patients with mandibular deviation were selected as the deviated group and twenty adults with normal occlusion were selected as the control group. Cone- beam CT (CBCT) scans of their temporomandibular joints were taken. The original data were reconstructed and rebuilt. A series of measurements of the condylar morphology and location were performed. The collected data were analyzed using paired t- test. In the deviated group, the deviated sides were smaller than the contralateral sides in the perpendicular height, volume, maximum area of axial plane and the height of condylar head. The contralateral condyle was positioned more posteriorly and laterally [(0.35 ± 0.10) and (0.58 ± 0.18) mm] than the deviated condyle (P < 0.05). Adult skeletal Class III patients with mandibular deviation had some extent of condyle asymmetry in both morphology and location.