Association between dental agenesis and condylar morphology: a cross-sectional study

• Grant number: 23/08337-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2023
• End date: October 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Orthodontics
• Principal Investigator: Mírian Aiko Nakane Matsumoto
• Grantee: Beatriz Carvalho Masson
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirão Preto (FORP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Dental agenesis - the absence of development of one or more teeth - has been associated with certain craniofacial phenotypes such as cleft palate, and more recently, temporomandibular disorders (TMD). TMD is a group of disorders that affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which connects the mandible to the base of the skull through the condyle. Previous studies have demonstrated a genetic link that shares the same interactions between TMD and agenesis. Since agenesis is a genetically modulated condition, as well as the shape and quality of the condyle, it is reasonable to hypothesize that patients with agenesis may have similar condylar characteristics among themselves, but different from the non-agenesis population. Based on these premises, the hypothesis of this study is that there is a modification of the morphological pattern of the condyle, both in shape and trabecular quality, in patients with dental agenesis compared to patients without agenesis. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the morphological pattern of the condyle in orthodontic patients with and without dental agenesis. The study will be conducted using a cross-sectional approach. Initial panoramic radiographs of patients, aged 12 to 21 years, of both sexes, without systemic conditions, who are treated at the Orthodontic Clinics of the Faculty of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto (FORP-USP) will be used for the analysis of agenesis, condyle shape, and quality. Fractal analysis will be used to analyze the trabecular bone, and fractal density will be the variable for measuring bone quality. Specific statistical tests at a significance level of 5% will be applied to compare the condylar characteristics between the group of patients with and without permanent dental agenesis. Through this innovative investigation, it is expected to find an association between dental agenesis and modifications in condylar morphology, such as its shape and fractal dimension. This association will help identify patterns of growth and remodeling of the condyle in patients with agenesis, which may be a risk/predictive factor for TMD.