Disc-condyle Relationships during Class II Treatment with the Functional Mandibular Advancer (FMA)

The objective of this study was to verify the effects of treatment to correct Class II malocclusion with the Functional Mandibular Advancer (FMA) on the relative positions of the articular disc and mandibular condyle. In particular, we aimed to find out whether the disc-condyle relationship changed between baseline and post-treatment, in temporomandibular joints initially exhibiting a physiological relationship and alternatively, in temporomandibular joints initially presenting anterior displacement of the articular disc.

Treatment progress in 15 patients was monitored at defined points in time by manual structural analysis (MSA) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The disc-condyle relationship was assessed by examining the parasagittal MR images made up of three slices each (lateral, central, medial) taken in habitual intercuspation and maximum-open mouth position. The MR images were metrically analyzed to determine the sagittal positional relationship of the articular disc and mandibular condyle using two methods on the central slices of the images taken in closed-mouth position. MSA was used in particular to determine the disc-condyle relationships and to metrically record the extent of active movement of the mandible during mouth opening, protrusion, laterotrusion, and retrusion.

Comparison of baseline and post-treatment findings revealed that none of the joints exhibited a treatment-induced deterioration in the disc-condyle relationship, while the relationship improved in five joints. After categorization of the joints according to groups according to disc position, metric analysis of the MR images showed significantly-improved post-treatment disc positions in the joints that had initially exhibited anterior disc displacement. Post-treatment findings for maximum-open mouth position, protrusion, and laterotrusion corresponded to the baseline values recorded before bite-jumping, and the extent of maximum active retrusion increased significantly.

Functional jaw orthopedics for correction of skeletal Class II with the rigid fixed FMA leads to side-effects reflected in the disc-condyle relationship in the temporomandibular joints: no adverse effects were observed in joints presenting an initial physiological disc-condyle relationship, whereas the disc position may improve in joints with initial partial or total anterior disc displacement. In comparison with the baseline findings, we observed no post-treatment restriction in the extent of maximum mouth opening, protrusion, and left and right laterotrusion. Maximum active retrusion increased due to the treatment. MR imaging and MSA only partly cover the same aspects of temporomandibular joint diagnostics.