Morphometric analysis of the mandibular condylar process

Background. Morphometric parameters of the mandible in general and the condylar process in particular correlate with age, sex, and race. Objective. The aim of this study is to conduct a morphometric analysis of the relationship between the size and shape of the mandibular condyle on skeletal, documented mandibles. Material and methods. Morphometric parameters were examined on 106 mandibles. Measurements were taken using calipers and a depth gauge. The study was conducted on documented anatomical material. In this study, the authors analyzed the width in transverse and sagittal sections, thickness and length of the base, as well as the height of the condylar process. Results. The average age of the male anatomical subjects was 72.31±2.25 years, and in female, it was 74.15±2.34 years. The condylar processes were classified into 4 shapes: oval, hook-shaped, rhomboidal, and L-shaped. The predominant shape of the condylar process was L-shaped. The greatest thickness of the base of the condylar process was noted for the rhomboid shape on both the right and left sides. At the same time, the greatest length of the base of the condylar process on the right was for the L-shaped form, while on the left it was for the oval shape. The authors found a correlation between the length of the base and the shapes of the condylar processes. Conclusions. The study revealed statistically significant differences in the shape of the condylar process concerning to mandibular branch structures.