Association between craniofacial asymmetry and unilateral temporomandibular joint sounds in adult patients using 3D-computed tomography.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible relationship between unilateral temporomandibular joint (TMJ) sounds and craniofacial asymmetry, using 3D-computed tomography (CT) measurements.

SUBJECTS AND

METHODS

Forty-one reconstructed 3D-CT models of adult subjects were measured to analyze craniofacial asymmetry. Subjects were divided into two groups depending on the presence (n = 20) or absence (n = 21) of unilateral joint sounds, and the results compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test. To investigate the association between these parameters, the Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated.

RESULTS

Asymmetries in the maxillary and mandibular structures were statistically significant (P < 0.05) for subjects with unilateral TMJ sounds and for controls, except in the case of maxillary rotation and mandibular ramus height (P > 0.05). The highest deviations found were frontal and lateral ramal inclination, goniac angle and canting of occlusal plane.

CONCLUSIONS

Adult patients with unilateral joint sounds may have skeletal jaw asymmetry and a canted occlusal plane.