Evaluation of mandibular condyle morphology in northeastern Anatolian children and adolescents aged 6–14 years using digital panoramic radiographs

Mandibular condyle morphology reflects growth and functional adaptation during childhood, yet data specific to the paediatric population remain limited. The aim of this study was to classify mandibular condyle morphology in children and adolescents aged 6–14 years using digital panoramic radiographs (OPG) and to evaluate the association of this morphological distribution with age, sex, dentition stage, and side (right/left). In this retrospective cross-sectional study, 2660 mandibular condyles (right and left) from 1330 patients were evaluated on OPG. Condylar morphology was classified into six types (oval, bird’s beak, diamond, flat, crooked finger, and bifid), and associations with age, sex, and dentition stage were assessed using Pearson’s chi-square test and generalized estimating equations (GEE). Bilateral symmetry was evaluated using Bowker’s test of symmetry. The oval type was identified in 92.0% of the sample; however, this proportion showed a marked decrease with age (98.6% at 6 years; 68.9% at 14 years; p < 0.001). In contrast, the flat and crooked finger types became more prominent, particularly after the age of 10. A significant univariate association was found between dentition stage and condylar type ( p < 0.001); however, this association was not independent of age (multivariable p = 0.402). No significant association between sex and overall condylar morphology was observed after accounting for within-patient clustering. No significant asymmetry was found between the right and left condyles, with the two sides being concordant in 92.3% of patients ( p = 0.906). Mandibular condyle morphology differed markedly with age, from a predominantly oval, homogeneous appearance at younger ages towards a more heterogeneous configuration at older ages within the studied 6–14 year range. These findings suggest that digital panoramic radiography may provide a practical method for describing condylar morphology in routine paediatric dental records, although its two-dimensional nature limits three-dimensional morphological assessment.