EFFECT OF EDENTULOUSNESS ON MANDIBULAR SIZE AND CONDYLE-FOSSA POSITION

Modern imaging methods make possible the more precise examination of t he complicated bony structure of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the performance of cephalometric analysis. The aim of our study was t o analyse the effect of edentulousness on the mandibular size and the condyle-fossa position using roentgen-cephalograms and axial computed tomography (CT) scans. The study group consisted of 20 edentulous pati ents (14 women, six men, mean age 60 years) whose mean period of edent ulousness was 20 years (range 3-34 years). A CT examination of their T MJs was performed and roentgen-cephalograms in 16 of this group were t aken after prosthetic treatment. Sixteen dental students were chosen a ccording to sex as controls. Earlier CT scans of 49 dentate subjects o f both sexes were used as controls for the analysis of bicondylar asym metry. The position of the glenoid fossa was more anterior in edentulo us subjects than in dentate ones and its anterior position correlated significantly (P < 0.02) with the period edentulousness, a finding whi ch has not been confirmed before. It can be concluded the fossa is a r emodelling unit as a part of the functional entity when the function i s altered dramatically as in the case of edentulous patients.