Mandibular condyle morphology on panoramic radiographs of asymptomatic temporomandibular joints

The panoramic radiograph is a widely used imaging modality in dental practice. The validity of such technique in the evaluation of the mandibular condyle has been questioned in the literature. Misinterpretations of morphologic variations of the condyle observed on panoramic radiographs may lead to unnecessary concerns or even unnecessary treatments of healthy temporomandibular joints. This work aimed to assess the frequency of different shapes of the mandibular condyle on panoramic radiographs of subjects without TMJ symptomatology and to correlate morphology with age and gender, as well as evaluate bilateral occurrence of same shape within each subject. Panoramic radiograph images of 566 condyles were assessed. Condyles were classified according to shape (flat, pointed, angled, and round), and age group. Round and angled shapes were the most frequent among the total number of condyles, and no significant differences among males and females were found. There was a tendency of a more marked predominance of round shapes among younger individuals, whilst older individuals presented a more even distribution of shapes. Nearly two thirds of the subjects presented the same shape bilaterally.