Abstract
The temporomandibular joint was morphologically studied for sex and age differences in 419 X-ray cephalograms obtained in a residential survey of living Japanese (from 1981-1983). The results obtained are as follows:
1. The condylar process in female subjects was thinner and longer than that in males, and the condylar width was smaller in females than in males. The width and depth of the articular fossa tended to be smaller in females than in males.
2. The ratio of condylar height to articular fossa depth tended to be higher in females than in males.
3. The condylar process was thin and long in the young subject, and this tendency was particularly marked in females.
4. In males the condylar width was small in the young subject, while there was no constant age-relating tendency in females. The top of condyle tended to be sharp in both male and female young subjects. There was no constant tendency of age-related changes in the articular fossa.
5. The ratio of condylar width to articular fossa width was low and the ratio of condylar height to articular fossa depth was high, in the young subject.
