EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATIONS OF THE CONDYLE USING ORTHOPANTOMOGRAM – A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Background: Identification of a deceased person has always been essential for a variety of private, public, and legal purposes. Innovations such as DNA matching and fingerprint analysis have simplified identification over time. Objectives:This study is aimed to compare various morphological patterns of the condyle using panoramic radiographs specific to our region, with the goal of developing more accessible methods for personal identification. Methods: Total 200 digital Orthopantomograms (OPGs) obtained from the archives of the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology. The images were viewed using DICOM Software-Planmeca Romexis 3.0.0. Inclusion criteria involved OPGs recorded correctly using appropriate techniques without distortions. The obtained radiographs were analysed to assess the various morphological shapes of the condyle. Results: Data regarding the various shapes of the coronoid process, condyle, and sigmoid notches on the left and right sides of 200 study participants were entered into Microsoft Excel and analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20 (IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y., USA). The data were tested for normality using the Shapiro-Wilk test, revealing deviations from normal distribution (p<0.05). Conclusion: According to our research, condyles most frequently have a round shape, which is followed by angled, convex, and flat forms. In addition, females typically have spherical condyles. This work emphasises the use of mandibular condyle morphological variations as shown in single panoramic radiography views as a forensic anthropology complement to personal identification.