A FOLLOW-UP-STUDY OF RADIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN THE MANDIBULAR CONDYLESOF ORTHODONTICALLY TREATED PATIENTS ACID ASSOCIATIONS WITH TMD

Our earlier studies have shown that some radiographic structural findi ngs in the mandibular condyles are more common in orthodontically trea ted populations than in normal populations. To test the hypothesis tha t these findings are stable, we studied condylar findings in panoramic radiographs longitudinally in 39 subjects and in 39 sex- and age-matc hed controls. The subjects had condylar findings at the end of orthodo ntic treatment at about 15 years of age; no such findings were seen in the controls. The subjects and controls were reexamined radiographica lly about 12 years after the posttreatment radiographic examination. W e also tested the hypothesis that radiographic condylar findings are a ssociated with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). No statistically sig nificant differences were found between subjects and controls in terms of reported subjective TMD symptoms. Clinically, the subjects had tem poromandibular joint (TMD) crepitation significantly more frequently ( 27%) than controls (8%) (p < 0.05). Crepitation correlated with some r eported symptoms and clinical signs, suggesting that osteoarthrosis mi ght have been an important etiological factor for TMD in the present s ubjects. At the follow-up examination, radiographic condylar findings were seen in 25 subjects and in four controls (p < 0.001). The condyla r findings varied greatly between the time of orthodontic treatment an d follow-up in the subjects. The findings had become more severe in 49 % of the subjects, more often in females than in males (p < 0.05), whe reas in 28% of the subjects the condylar findings had disappeared. Alt hough the radiographic findings after orthodontic treatment fluctuated with age, in most adolescents with changes in their condyles, these f indings remained constant or became more severe. It should be emphasiz ed, however, that although there were certain associations between rad iographic findings and TMD, the subjective symptoms and clinical signs seemed to cause the subjects no or only minor problems.