Changes in Condylar Shape and Gonial Angle according to Loss of Teeth in Elderly Population

ABSTRACT

As the aged population is steadily increasing, oral health has been an important issue. Purpose of this study is to evaluate theeffects of aging and subsequent loss of teeth on the morphologic change of mandibular condyle and angle. Fifty dentulous patients aged from 20 to 24(Group 1) and forty-six posterior edentulous patients aged from 65 to 69(Group 2) were examined. Cortical thickness of antegonial notch and gonial angle on panoramic radiographs were measured in order to compare and analyze the mandibular morphology. In addition, bone height from the superior border of the mandibular canal in molar area was measured, and distribution of 3 condylar types in each group was analyzed. The posterior edentulous group had lower values in bone height from the superior border of the mandibular canal and cortical thickness of the antegonial notch compared to completely dentulous group. In condylar type1 subgroup of the dentulous group, a negative correlation was shown between cortical thickness of the antegonial notch and gonial angle. In the posterior edentulous group, a positive correlation was shown between age and gonial angle. The completely dentulous group showed a high incidence of type 2 and type 3 subgroup compared to the posterior edentulous group.