Search

Mandibular movement is complex and individual due to variations in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Consequently, patient-centered dentistry should incorporate patients' specific anatomy and condylar function in treatment planning. Real-time magnetic resonance imaging (rt-MRI) visualizes relevant structures and tracks mandibular movement. However, current assessments rely on qualitative observations or time-consuming manual tracking, lacking reliability. This study developed an automatic tracking algorithm for mandibular movement in rt-MRI using least mean square registration (LMS) and compared it to manual tracking (MT) during mouth opening. Ten participants with skeletal class I underwent rt-MRI (10 frames/s). The same operator tracked the condylar pathway for the two methods, setting 2000 landmarks (2 landmarks x100 frames x10 participants) for MT and 210 landmarks (3 landmarks x7 frames x10 participants) for LMS. Time required, superimposition error, and the distance between tracked condylar pathways were compared between methods. LMS tracking was 76% faster and showed significantly better superimposition (0.0289 ± 0.0058) than MT (0.059 ± 0.0145) (p = 0.002). During one-third of the movement, the pathways tracked by both methods were more than 1 mm and 1° apart. These findings highlight the benefits of automatic condylar movement tracking in rt-MRI, laying the groundwork for more objective and quantitative observation of TMJ function., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To compare occlusal schemes with condylar inclination and anterior guidance in dentate individuals., Materials and Methods: A total of 26 dentate patients of Indian origin between the ages of 18 and 30 with canine-guided occlusion and 26 patients with group function occlusion were included in the study. The School of Articulator Munich (SAM) Axioquick system was used to assess the condylar guidance and eccentric tracings of the patients. For analyses, Student t test was used. For quantitative data, the means and SDs were calculated. For statistical analyses, the probability of type-I error of .05 was considered statistically significant., Results: The mean condylar guidance for canine-guided and group function occlusion was 38.4 ± 12.7 degrees and 30.5 ± 12.5 degrees on the right side, respectively. On the left side it was 36.5 ± 13.0 degrees and 27.5 ± 12.0 degrees for canine-guided and group function occlusion, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (P = .01). The condylar guidance, incisal guidance, Bennett angle, protrusion, left lateral and right lateral movement, and left and right lateral angles were analyzed statistically between the two types of occlusions. The results showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups for all parameters except right condylar guidance. Furthermore, all parameters were higher in the canine-guided occlusion group over group function occlusion., Conclusions: Within the study limitations, it was concluded that the condylar guidance was steeper in canine-guided occlusion than in group function occlusion. The eccentric parameters were steeper in canine-guided occlusion than in group function occlusion. This study showcases that the condylar guidance might not play a major role in determining the occlusal scheme but that the incisal guidance determines the occlusal scheme predominantly in Class 1 occlusion patients.

Objective: To explore the relationship between the size of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) condyle and the sagittal disc-condyle position and the relationship between the condylar size and craniofacial structure., Methods: Seventy-four subjects (23.82 ± 3.77 years) underwent cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and lateral cephalograms for orthodontics and volunteered to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Mimics was used to calculate the volume and surface area of the condyle. MRI was used to evaluate the sagittal disc-condyle position. The lateral cephalograms were analyzed by Jarabak analysis., Results: The condylar volume and surface area were negatively correlated with the sagittal disc-condyle position. The condylar volume and surface area were positively correlated with Ar-Go, S-Go, and S-Go/N-Me*100% ( p < 0.05) and negatively correlated with ∠Ar-Go-Me and ∠N-Go-Me ( p < 0.05)., Conclusion: Condylar size was negatively correlated with the sagittal disc-condyle position. The condylar size was correlated with the vertical skeletal pattern.

Background: TMJ morphology/position and trabecular structure are influenced by various factors. The role of the interincisal angle, an indicator of the anterior occlusal relationship, on TMJ remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the morphology, trabecular bone structure, and position of the condyle, as well as the glenoid fossa's morphology in skeletal class II populations with different interincisal angles., Materials and Methods: A total of 150 adult patients with normodivergent facial types and skeletal class II malocclusions were selected and divided into three groups based on their interincisal angles: normal, small, and large angle groups. The indexes of TMJ were measured using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) data and analyzed using Dolphin Imaging, Mimics, and ImageJ., Results: The small angle group had the smallest anteroposterior diameter (APD), while the large angle group had a greater mediolateral diameter (MLD). The large angle group exhibited significantly the largest maximum axial area, bone surface area, and bone volume (P < 0.05). Small and large angle groups exhibited greater bone trabeculae (Tb. N) and thinner trabecular thickness (Tb. Th). Compared to the normal angle group, the small angle group exhibited a larger horizontal condylar angle and smaller bilateral condylar angles on the axial plane, while the large angle group showed the opposite trend. Small and large angle groups showed a reduced vertical condyle angle on the coronal plane, with the largest reduction observed in the large angle group (P < 0.05). Small and large angle groups had higher heights of the glenoid fossa (GFH). The large angle group exhibited the greatest GFH and width of the glenoid fossa (GFW) (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: The large angle group had elongated oval and large condyles, and deeper glenoid fossae, while a flattened-oval and smaller condyle, and wider and shallower glenoid fossae were observed in the small angle group. Small and large interincisal angle affects the structure of condylar trabeculae, resulting in thinner Tb. Th and greater Th. N. In the condylar position, small and large angle groups exhibit condylar rotation in the axial and coronal planes. Therefore, the interincisal angle affects the morphology, position, and trabecular structure of the TMJ. This implies that we must pay attention to the impact of the interincisal angle on TMJ, and it is crucial to restore the normal interincisal angle during orthodontic treatment., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Statement of Problem: Precise assessment of the condylar guidance angle can aid successful prosthodontic treatment. However, the reliability and accuracy of current methods remain unclear., Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the reliability and accuracy of current methods of determining the sagittal condylar guidance angle, including protrusive interocclusal records, axiography, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), and panoramic and cephalometric radiographs., Material and Methods: A literature search was conducted using BASE, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science databases up to June 2022. Inclusion criteria involved studies that compared protrusive interocclusal records against other methods of sagittal condylar guidance angle assessment in adult dentate and edentulous patients. Studies that did not provide the values for the right and left joint separately were excluded. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed by using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) tool. Data were tabulated and analyzed for correlations and their significance., Results: A total of 24 articles qualified for the analysis. The differences between protrusive interocclusal records and panoramic radiograph sagittal condylar guidance angle values were up to 9 degrees. Lateral cephalometric radiographs revealed greater condylar guidance values than facebow transfers or the Bonwill methods. Correlations between average sagittal condylar guidance angle values obtained from CBCT and protrusive interocclusal records differed depending on the method of registration. For protrusive interocclusal records, axiographic or pantographic measurement variance analysis showed that the condylar inclination values recorded with wax were statistically lower than those recorded with a pantograph (P<.05)., Conclusions: Although CBCT appears to be the most suitable method of evaluating the sagittal condylar guidance angle, the limitations and discrepancies among methods, including protrusive interocclusal records and panoramic and cephalometric radiographs, should be acknowledged. Digital axiography, with its potential to capture comprehensive functional data, may surpass other techniques. The use of mean values for articulators may be a practical solution for some patients. Further research is needed to refine sagittal condylar guidance angle assessment methods and to develop more reproducible and reliable approaches for the future., (Copyright © 2024 Editorial Council for The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)