Morphometric analysis of tmj morphology in patients with recurrent temporomandibular joint dislocation

Objective: The aim of this study is to analyze the morphological structures in patients with recurrent temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dislocation, to examine their effects on functional movements, and to compare the findings with healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: The study included 15 patients with recurrent TMJ dislocation who underwent cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) as the study group and 50 healthy individuals as the control group. The articular eminence inclination and height, glenoid fossa depth and width, the mediolateral and anteroposterior dimensions of the condyle, condyle length and joint spaces were evaluated in both sagittal and coronal sections. In addition, mandibular functional movements were also assessed. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in articular eminence inclination and height values between the groups. However, in the coronal section, a statistically significant difference was found in the articular eminence inclination on the right joint (p = 0.014). The glenoid fossa width showed statistically significant differences in both joints in the sagittal section. The effect of articular eminence morphology on functional movements was found to be not significant. Conclusion: The increased glenoid fossa width observed in patients with recurrent TMJ dislocation may reduce joint stability during functional movements and could contribute to the predisposition to dislocation.