[Three-dimensional morphological features of temporomandibular joint in skeletal malocclusion Class III patients with different vertical skeletal facial types].

To investigate three-dimensional morphological features of temporomandibular joint in skeletal malocclusion Class III with different vertical skeletal facial types.
 Methods: A total of 46 adults with skeletal malocclusion Class III were enrolled and allocated into a normal-angle, a high-angle and a low-angle groups. All patients were undergone cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Images of temporomandibular joint were reconstructed and analyzed by Invivo 5. Nine measurements relevant to the positions and forms of condyle as well as joint spaces were performed.
 Results: Significant differences were not observed between the 2 sides of each group among skeletal malocclusion Class III (P>0.05). Compared with the high-angle and normal-angle patients, the low-angle patients had larger superior spaces, bigger gradients of the articular tublecle, longer condyle, and larger internal spaces between the condyle and the fossa. Compared with the low-angle and normal-angle patients, the high-angle patients had smaller condylar antero-posterior diameters.
 Conclusion: Class III malocclusion patients with different vertical skeletal patterns have different positions and forms of condyles, which should be paid attention to in clinic.