Relationship between aging and morphological bone changes of the condyle in temporomandibular disorders

Abstract

In order to clarify the clinical significance of morphological bone changes of the mandibular condyle in temporomandibular disorders, the relationship between radiographic bone changes and aging was clinically studied. The subjects of the study were 1,120 patients (812 females and 308 males). The average age was 33 years +/- 15 years (from 10 to 81 years of age). The 1,120 patients were divided into six age brackets (10 to 19 years, 20 to 29 years, 30 to 39 years, 40 to 49 years, 50 to 59 years, 60 to 81 years). According to radiograms taken by lateral oblique transcranial projection, orbitcondyle projection and orthopantomography, the morphological bone changes were classified into seven groups, erosion, osteophyte, eburnation, flattening, deformity, concavity and sclerosis. The results were as follows: 1. The incidence of the patients with radiographic bone changes of the mandibular condyle increased with aging and showed significantly different age distribution from that without bone changes (Mann-Whitney U test: p < 0.01). 2. The incidence of erosion did not increase with aging and showed significantly different age distribution from osteophyte or eburnation (Mann-Whitney U test: p < 0.01, 0.05). The incidence of flattening also did not increase with aging and showed significantly different age distribution from osteophyte, eburnation or deformity (Mann-Whitney U test: p < 0.01, 0.05, 0.05).