• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.149-159
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between horizontal morphology of lateral pterygoid muscle and onset of temporomandibular joint disorders. Randomly selected 150 subjects, assigned with equal number in terms of gender and age group, were included. The axial and sagittal images in their magnetic resonance images of the temporomandibular joints were used to measure the morphologic characteristics of lateral pterygoid muscles and temporomandibular joints. The measurement variables were maximal horizontal width and insertion angle to the condyle, position of the articular disc, condylar deformity, and joint effusion. In addition, presence or absence of the temporomandibular joint pain was examined through history and palpation of the joints. The relationships among measurement variables were analyzed and the results were as follow. The insertion angle of the lateral pterygoid muscle to the condyle was higher in the joint of anterior disc displacement without reduction than that in the joint of normal disc position. In addition, the maximal horizontal width of the lateral pterygoid muscle was significantly increased in joints with pain than those without pain. Also, the insertion angle was significantly higher in younger age group and the maximal width was significantly greater in male than in female. These results suggest that high insertion angle of lateral pterygoid muscle might be an important anatomic predisposing factor for anterior disc displacement in temporomandibular joint and muscular activity of lateral pterygoid muscle might be affected by preauricular pain. In conclusion, there might be a bi-directional interaction between lateral pterygoid muscle and joint in the progression of anterior disc displacement in temporomandibular joint.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.305-306
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• 1972

Authors observed the variety of number of head of external pterygoid muscle from 70 Korean subjects. 1) The number of head of external pterygoid muscle were divided into several types. The two heads was the most common type and 1.4% in one head and 5.7% in three heads. 2) No significantly different data were found between the Korean and the Japanese.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.119-131
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• 1986

The purpose of the study is to note the effects of the resection of the lateral pterygoid muscle on the mandibular growth in the growing rats. Twenty four female Wistar rats were used in the experiment. They were divided into three groups: group 1 ; bilateral sham operation group 2 ; bilateral resenction of the lateral pterygoid muscle group 3 ; unilateral resection of the lateral pterygoid muscle (The right lateral pterygoid muscle was resected and the left one was sham-operated.) Groups 1&2 were sacrificed eight weeks lateral and group 3, four weeks later. All specimens were measured with calipers, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Groups 1 & 2 were compared with each other. In group 3, the right side was compared with the left. The results were as follows: 1. In the growing rats, the resection of the lateral pterygoid muscle was followed by a decrease of the mandibular growth. After eight weeks, the condyle-mental foramen distance, the angular process-mental foramen distance, the size of the condylar head, the supradentale-first molar distance, and the diameter of the symphysis were significantly smaller than the control. 2. Resection of the lateral pterygoid muscle resulted in decrease of the thickness of the cartilage layer and the prechondroblastic-chondroblastic layer after four weeks. 3. After eight weeks, group 1 and group 2 were not different significantly in the histologic sections. 4. The condylar cartilage was stabilized eight weeks after the experiment.