[Condylar lateral movements in patients with mandibular deviation].

OBJECTIVE: To record condylar movements of patients with mandibular deviation and analyze their characteristics. METHODS: Computer aided diagnosis axiography (CADIAX III) was used to record and analyze condylar lateral movements in 31 patients (9 males, 22 females and the age range 12 - 26, mean age 18 years old) with mandibular deviation. Paired-t test and rank sum test were used to compare condylar movements. Multinomial logistic analysis was used to clarify the relationship between condylar movement and mandibular deviation. RESULTS: The condylar lateral movements in patients with mandibular deviation were asymmetric. The tracing of the shifted side was longer than the contralateral side (P < 0.01). The transverse inclination of the shifted side was smaller than the contralateral side (P < 0.01). With the increase of deviation, the movement length difference between the two sides increased and the length of contralateral side decreased (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The patients with mandibular deviation not only have morphological asymmetry but asymmetric condylar movement length and inclination in lateral movements. There is specific relationship between condylar movement and mandibular deviation.