CORRELATIONS BETWEEN CONDYLAR CHARACTERISTICS AND FACIAL MORPHOLOGY IN CLASS-II PREADOLESCENT PATIENTS

The aim of this retrospective study was to determine correlations betw een condylar characteristics measured from preorthodontic tomograms of preadolescents and their facial morphologic characteristics. The samp le consisted of 136 patients displaying a Class II malocclusion, a ver tical or horizontal skeletal growth tendency, and ranging in age betwe en 10 years 0 months and 12 years 6 months for males and 9 years 0 mon ths and 11 years 6 months for females. Two groups were established: th e vertical group had 68 patients, 36 males and 32 females, (average pr etreatment age, II years 0 months); the horizontal group also had 68 p atients, 29 males and 39 females, their average pretreatment age was 1 0 years 9 months. The central cut of axially corrected lateral tomogra ms of the left and right temporomandibular joints for each group was r andomized, blinded, and traced for condyle/fossa measurements includin g: anterior, superior and posterior joint space; condylar head and pos terior condylar ramus inclination; condylar neck width; and condylar s hape and condylar surface area. A logistic discriminant analysis with significance values set at p < 0.05 was used to determine the most rel iable condylar characteristics to predict facial morphology. A cluster analysis was completed on the significant variables to form three clu sters. Numeric ranges separating these clusters were then calculated. Chi-square tests measures of association were computed for significant variables and tested for associations between facial morphologic char acteristics. Condylar head inclination and superior joint space proved to be significantly correlated to facial morphology (p values ranged from 0.010 to 0.018). Patients with vertical facial morphologic charac teristics displayed decreased superior joint spaces and posteriorly an gled condyles. Increased superior joint spaces and anteriorly angled c ondyles were significantly correlated to patients with a horizontal fa cial morphology. No significant correlations between the other condyla r characteristics and facial morphology were determined.