Relationship between sex, age, and the minimum thickness of the roof of the glenoid fossa in normal temporomandibular joints

Abstract

This autopsy study investigates the minimum thickness of the roof of the glenoid fossa of grossly normal temporomandibular joints (TMJ) and correlates this to gender and age. This study was based on 49 TMJ specimens collected from 26 male and 23 female cadavers whose mean age at death was 73.8 years (range=50-96). No information was available about TMJ symptoms before death. A digital micrometer was used to measure the minimum thickness of the glenoid fossae. Comparisons were made based on gender and age. The mean value for the minimum roof thickness of all joint specimens examined was 0.8 mm. Mean values for male and female specimens were 0.8 and 0.7 mm, respectively, which were not significantly different. In addition, no age-related differences were observed. The average thickness was 0.7 mm for individuals in their fifties, 0.8 mm for those in their sixties and seventies, 0.6 mm for those in their eighties, and 0.8 mm for individuals in their nineties. Although these data indicate that the minimum thickness of the glenoid fossa of the TMJ is not significantly correlated with sex or age in patients 50 years of age and older, they nonetheless provide additional information about normal TMJ anatomy, particularly with regard to our knowledge of joint remodeling and function in the disease and non-disease states. Thickness of the glenoid fossa has also been implicated as a factor in facial trauma involving superior displacement of the mandibular condyle into the middle cranial fossa. The thickness of the glenoid fossa is also of potential interest during surgeries involving the glenoid fossa, such as TMJ arthroplasty or joint reconstruction.

Assessment of the Thickness of the Roof of the Glenoid Fossa Using Cone Beam Computed Tomography in Orthognathic Surgery Patients: A Preliminary Study

“…There was no significant difference in the thickness of the RGF according to sex (Table 5). These results are consistent with previous studies showing that the thickness of the RGF is not affected by age or sex [2,18].…”

“…The marked thickness of the roof of the glenoid fossa (RGF) of the TMJ is important to withstand the various types of stimulation associated with facial trauma involving superior displacement of the mandibular condyle into the middle cranial fossa, as well as the effects of TMJ arthroplasty and joint reconstruction [2].…”

Relationship between the thickness of the roof of glenoid fossa, condyle morphology and remaining teeth in asymptomatic European patients based on cone beam CT data sets

“…Honda et al 6 and Kijima et al 7 also reported no significant relationship between gender and the thickness of RGF.…”

“…Previous studies revealed no correlation between RGF thickness and gender, age and condyle morphology using coronal multiplanar reconstructions (MPRs). 6,7 Tsuruta et al 8 investigated the relationship between RGF thickness and condyle morphological characterization in paracoronal reconstructed images of helical CT image data, and suggested that compensative bone formation in the RGF might help to withstand the increased stress in the TMJ accompanying condylar bone change, especially erosion. However, the above-mentioned studies used samples from a Japanese population and evaluated only one MPR view, either coronal or sagittal plane.…”

Bony eminence on the middle cranial fossa corresponding to the temporomandibular joint

“…It is also influenced by dental occlusion, diet and aging (Williamson, 1978;Granados, 1979;Silbermann and Livne, 1979;Hinton, 1983;O'Ryan and Epker, 1983;Aiello and Dean, 1990), orthodontic therapy or dental and maxillo-facial surgery (Tuominen et al, 1996;Ruf and Pancherz, 1999). Honda et al (2005) reported no significant differences in the minimum thickness of the roof of the glenoid fossa between the sexes and at different ages. Although we investigated neither the occlusion nor size of the mandible and cranium, they might have an influence on Fig.…”