Changes in height and inclination of the articular eminence during the growth period / 대한치과교정학회지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the changes in height and inclination of the articular eminence during the growth period. METHODS: One hundred and sixty subjects (71 males and 89 females) with a normal skeletal pattern and TMJ function, ranging in age from 5.9 to 19.7 years were divided according to their chronological age into six groups. Lateral individualized corrected TMJ tomograms were taken of all subjects, and the height and inclination of the articular eminence were measured. UNIANOVA was used to compare the differences between the age groups. Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the differences between male and female subjects. RESULTS: The height and the inclination of the articular eminence were increased and became steeper with age, and the height and the inclination were larger in male than in female subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic changes in the height and the inclination of the articular eminence were observed during the growth period, therefore a full understanding of the growth of the articular eminence is important for orthodontic and orthopedic treatment in this period.