SIZE OF THE OSSEOUS PARTS OF THE TEMPOROMANDIBULAR-JOINT RELATED TO SEX, AGE AND LOSS OF THE TEETH

The following parameters were measured on 103 skulls with their mandib les: AB - distance from lateral ending of petrotympanic fissure to the intersection of the petrotympanic and sphenosquamosus fissure, BC - d istance from the intersection of petrotympanic and petrosquamosus fiss ure to the most prominent part of articular eminence, AC - distance fr om Lateral ending of petrotympanic fissure to the most prominent part of the articular eminence, h - the depth of mandibular fossa. The obta ined data were analyzed for males and females and for the Left and the right side. There was no difference between the left and the right si de (p>0.05), although majority of population prefer chewing on the rig ht side. Although all the values were slightly greater in males, the d ifference was not significant (p>0,05). Obviously, sex: differences ar e not expressed on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) as much as they a re on other joints in the body. The data were also analysed for differ ent age groups and for different percentage of the remaining teeth. No influence of ageing and the loss of the teeth could be proved upon th e depth of the mandibular fossa and the other measured parameters.