LATERAL CEPHALOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF SKELETAL PATTERNS IN PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT INTERNAL DERANGEMENT OF THE TEMPOROMANDIBULAR-JOINT

Twenty-three female volunteers with normal temporomandibular joints (T MJ) were compared with 24 female patients with documented TMJ internal derangements. Magnetic resonance imaging and lateral cephalometric ra diographs were used to investigate the relationship between TMJ disk d isplacement and skeletal facial form. Results indicated that the patie nts with internal derangements have significantly smaller mandibles an d maxillae. However, these sagittal measurements of jaw length were no t associated with disproportionate changes in other cephalometric vari ables. In general, no distinct relationship was found between the morp hologic features of the face and the internal derangements of the temp oromandibular joint.