Cone-beam Condylar Position Analysis and Determining Factors

Objectives: The aim of this study was to detect the factors that are associated with the condylar position.
Methods: A total of 190 cone-beam studies were used to measure the bilateral condylar position in three views: sagittal, coronal and transversal. There were three measures taken for sagittal and coronal views: for the sagittal, there was the superior, anterior and posterior; and for the coronal, superior, lateral and medial measurements. Finally, the degrees of condylar axis rotation was measured in the transversal view. Al these measurements were compared to the sex, age, dental occlusion, and previous surgical orthognathic interventions.
Results: In the sagittal view, superior averaged 2.5mm, anterior 1.9mm, and posterior 1.8mm. In the coronal view, superior averaged 2.5mm, medial 2.4mm, and lateral 3.1mm. In the axial view, the rotation was 26 degrees. There was no statistical difference between the measures on either side. Finally, there was no association of sex, age, or dental occlusion on the condylar position, and neither was there a difference even in those subjects with previous orthognathic surgery.
Conclusions: The results obtained are consistent with previous literature and corresponding meta-analysis, but this sample is larger than the usual for this study design. Also, the references for the measurements were anatomical structures and not reference imaginary planes making the measurement method for precise and reliable, evidenced by the consistency in the comparison of the measurements in the left and right, and in the superior measurements in both the sagittal and coronal view.