Influence of mandibular length on mouth opening

Theoretically, mouth opening not only reflects the mobility of the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) but also the mandibular length. Clinically, the exact relationship between mouth opening, mandibular length, and mobility of TMJs is unclear. To study this relationship 91 healthy subjects, 59 women and 32 men (mean age 27.2 years, s.d. 7.5 years, range 13-56 years) were recruited from the patients of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of University Hospital, Groningen. Mouth opening, mobility of TMJs and mandibular length were measured. The mobility of TMJs was measured as the angular displacement of the mandible relative to the cranium, the angle of mouth opening (AMO). Mouth opening (MO) correlated significantly with mandibular length (ML) (r = 0.36) and AMO (r = 0.66). The regression equation MO = C1 x ML x AMO + C2, in which C = 0.53 and C2 = 25.2 mm, correlated well (r = 0.79) with mouth opening. It is concluded that mouth opening reflects both mobility of the TMJs and mandibular length.