Do skeletal cephalometric characteristics correlate with condylar volume, surface and shape? A 3D analysis

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the condylar volume in subjects with different mandibular divergence and skeletal class using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and analysis software. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For 94 patients (46 females and 48 males; mean age 24.3 ± 6.5 years), resultant rendering reconstructions of the left and right temporal mandibular joints (TMJs) were obtained. Subjects were then classified on the base of ANB angle the GoGn-SN angle in three classes (I, II, III) . The data of the different classes were compared. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed in the whole sample between the right and the left sides in condylar volume. The analysis of mean volume among low, normal and high mandibular plane angles revealed a significantly higher volume and surface in low angle subjects (p < 0.01) compared to the other groups. Class III subjects also tended to show a higher condylar volume and surface than class I and class II subjects, although the difference was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Higher condylar volume was a common characteristic of low angle subjects compared to normal and high mandibular plane angle subjects. Skeletal class also appears to be associated to condylar volume and surface.