Relationship between condylar atrophy and tooth loss in craniomandibular disorders.

In order to investigate the relationship between condylar atrophy and tooth loss in craniomandibular disorders, we examined 37 patients with condylar atrophy (atrophy (+) group) and 109 patients without condylar atrophy (atrophy (-) group). No significant difference in the number of missing teeth between the atrophy (+) group and atrophy (-) group was observed. However, a significant relationship between condylar atrophy and loss of the lower first molars was found. And individuals in the atrophy (+) group had a tendency to lose one or both lower first molars and left them without any prosthetic restorations in the growth period of the TMJ components.