Articular Eminence Inclination between Croatian and American Skulls

Area of Science:

• Anthropology
• Anatomy
• Forensic Science

Background:

• The articular eminence inclination (AEI) is a key parameter in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) morphology.
• Understanding variations in AEI can provide insights into potential evolutionary adaptations, dietary habits, and genetic diversity across populations.
• Previous research has explored AEI in various groups, but direct comparisons between distinct ancestral and modern populations, such as Croatian and American skulls, are less common.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine and compare articular eminence inclination (AEI) values between diverse Croatian and American skull groups.
• To investigate potential influences of ancestry, geographical origin, sex, and age on AEI.
• To evaluate the impact of different measurement methodologies on AEI determination.

Main Methods:

• The study analyzed 210 human dry skulls from various Croatian (early medieval, late medieval, contemporary) and American (Illinois, Kentucky, contemporary African Americans, American Caucasians) groups.
• Articular eminence inclination (AEI) was measured using two distinct methods (M1 and M2) on five sagittal sections derived from virtual silicone impressions of the articular eminence.
• Statistical analysis was performed using a significance level of p<0.05 to compare AEI values across different groups and between measurement methods.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences in AEI values were observed across the different groups of skulls, body sides, sexes, or ages (p>0.05).
• AEI values obtained using measurement method M2 were statistically significantly higher compared to those obtained using measurement method M1 (p<0.05).

Conclusions:

• Articular eminence inclination (AEI) appears to be largely independent of skull group, body side, sex, and age within the studied populations.
• The choice of measurement method significantly influences the obtained AEI values, highlighting the importance of methodological standardization.
• While group-specific AEI differences were not significant, the findings contribute to understanding TMJ morphology and potential population variations.