Condyle position as a predictor of temporomandibular joint internal derangement

Statement of problem. The significance of the position of the mandibular co ndyle in the glenoid fossa remains a controversial subject. Purpose. This study evaluated the relationship between condyle position and disk displacement. Material and methods. Fifty-two asymptomatic volunteers and 130 symptomatic patients underwent linear tomography and bilateral temporomandibular joint magnetic resonance scans. Results. There was a higher prevalence of distal condyles in symptomatic pa tients with disk displacement compared with asymptomatic volunteers (P<.05) . Distally positioned condyles identified joints with disk displacement wit h reduction, disk displacement without reduction, or a symptomatic normal j oint with a sensitivity of 0.64, 0.56, and 0.33, respectively. Distally pos itioned condyles identified joints with disk displacement with reduction, d isk displacement without reduction, or a symptomatic normal joint with a sp ecificity of 0.56, 0.65, and 0.55, respectively. Conclusion. There were more distal condyles in symptomatic subjects with di sk displacement, but the reliability of a distal condyle to predict the pre sence or absence of disk displacement was low.