MORPHOLOGY OF THE MANDIBULAR FOSSA AND THE ARTICULAR EMINENCE IN TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINTS WITH ANTERIOR DISK DISPLACEMENT

The depth, length, and depth:length ratio of the mandibular fossa, and the angles of the posterior slope of the articular eminence were meas ured for 91 temporomandibular joints (TMJ) with anterior disk displace ment (ADD) in 79 female patients with TMJ dysfunction. As a control, 4 8 joints in 24 females without TMJ dysfunction were similarly measured . One of the angles of the posterior slope of the articular eminence w as larger for joints with ADD than for the controls (P <0.01, Student' s t-test). There were no other statistically significant differences b etween the two groups. Among the 91 joints with ADD, there was no stat istically significant difference in any variable between joints with A DD with reduction (n=46) and these with ADD without reduction (n=45); likewise, there was no association between the magnitude of angle of t he posterior slope of the articular eminence and overjet, overbite, ca nine relationship, or molar relationship. (C) Munksgaard, 1996.