Association between craniofacial asymmetry and unilateral temporomandibular joint sounds in adult patients using 3 D ‐computed tomography

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible relationship between unilateral temporomandibular joint ( TMJ ) sounds and craniofacial asymmetry, using 3 D ‐computed tomography ( CT ) measurements. Subjects and Methods Forty‐one reconstructed 3 D ‐ CT models of adult subjects were measured to analyze craniofacial asymmetry. Subjects were divided into two groups depending on the presence ( n  = 20) or absence ( n  = 21) of unilateral joint sounds, and the results compared using the M ann– W hitney U ‐ test. To investigate the association between these parameters, the Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated. Results Asymmetries in the maxillary and mandibular structures were statistically significant ( P  < 0.05) for subjects with unilateral TMJ sounds and for controls, except in the case of maxillary rotation and mandibular ramus height ( P  > 0.05). The highest deviations found were frontal and lateral ramal inclination, goniac angle and canting of occlusal plane. Conclusions Adult patients with unilateral joint sounds may have skeletal jaw asymmetry and a canted occlusal plane.