Abstract
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to compare the volume and surface area of the mandibular condyles in a young adult Arab population with different skeletal patterns.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
126 Arab patients (19-35 years old, 73 female subject and 53 male) were classified in three groups based on the ANB angle: skeletal class I (50 patients), skeletal class II (50 patients) and skeletal class III (26 patients). The 3D volumetric images of the right and left TMJs of the subjects were evaluated independently with Galileos and Mimics 3D software. The structures of the TMJ were evaluated for the condylar volume and surface area.
RESULTS
The descriptive statistics, One-way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple posthoc test revealed higher condylar volumes and surface area in skeletal class III subjects in comparison to class I and class II subjects (p<0.05). Significantly lower condylar volume was observed in class II subjects, with respect to class I and class III (p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
The mandibular condylar volume and surface area appears to be associated with the skeletal class of malocclusion without pain and dysfunction in the young adult Arab population.