Articular Eminence Morphology of Temporomandibular Joint in Young Korean Adults

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyse and evaluate the morphology of the articular eminence of temporomandibular joint in young Korean adults using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods: One hundred seventy-one subjects (59 males, 112 females) in the 20s were examined using CBCT. Width and height of articular eminence, top-roof line angle, best-fit line angle, joint space were measured. For the group comparisons, independent t-test was used with the level of significance established at $p{\leq}0.05$. Results: In asymptomatic young Korean adults, average eminence width was $9.49{\pm}1.62mm$ in males and $9.33{\pm}1.36mm$ in females. Average eminence height was $7.23{\pm}1.81mm$ in males and $6.82{\pm}1.31mm$ in females. Average eminence inclination of measured by top-roof line angle was $37.09^{\circ}{\pm}7.74^{\circ}$ in males and $36.12^{\circ}{\pm}5.65^{\circ}$ in females. Average eminence inclination measured by best-fit line angle was $50.79^{\circ}{\pm}11.49^{\circ}$ in males and $48.43^{\circ}{\pm}9.05^{\circ}$ in females. Average joint space was $3.03{\pm}0.67mm$ in males and $2.63{\pm}0.68mm$ in females. Conclusions: Increasing age did not affect the morphology of the articular eminence in asymptomatic young Korean adults. Males had slightly larger eminence width, height, top-roof line angle, best-fit line angle and joint space, but no statistical significance (p>0.05) was observed only in the joint space (p=0.001). There was no side-to-side difference in morphology (p>0.05).