Volumetric and Morphometric Condylar Assessment in Patients with Class II and Class III Skeletal Patterns Prior to Orthognathic Surgery: A CBCT 3D Study

The objective of this study was to compare the mandibular condyles' anatomical characteristics in skeletal class II and III patients' candidates for orthognathic surgery.A total of 71 patients (41 men and 30 women) were classified into skeletal class II (n=33) and class III (n=38) according to standard methods.Two-dimensional and three-dimensional analyses of both left and right mandibular condyles was performed upon CBCT scans.Condylar dimension, condylar position, and condylar morphology ??were quantified and compared between class II and class III skeletal classes.Class III patients exhibited increased condylar width, height, and volume compared with class II patients (p <0.001) bilaterally.Similarly, Class III patients showed a bilateral reduced posterior joint space (P <0.001 and p = 0.027) and left and right condylar axial angles (p = 0.033 and p = 0.006), compared with Class II patients.Skeletal classes variables were associated with the right (p <0.001) and left (p = 0.022) condylar concentricity, and with the right (p = 0.014) and left (p = 0.016) condylar morphology.Thus, class III patients' condyles were more concentric and convex than class II patients' condyles, which were more anterior and flatter.There are significant differences between Class II and class III patients' condyles regarding anatomical, morphological, and positional variables.These data highlight critical anatomical features to consider before orthognathic surgery.