A radiographic study of condyle position at various depths of cut in dry skulls with axially corrected lateral tomograms.

Fifty dry skulls were evaluated by means of submental vertex radiographs and axially corrected tomograms. The condyles were classified into four groups according to anterior surface and shape as viewed on the submentovertex radiograph. Thirty condyles were classified as having a flat anterior surface, 27 as convex, 19 as concave, and 24 as triangular. The analysis of variance for the depth of cut demonstrated (1) no statistically significant difference between the condyle/fossa relationship at the various depths of cut for the convex, flat, and triangular condyles and (2) a statistically significant difference between the condyle/fossa relationship of the concave condyles. The difference was significant at the p = 0.107 level for the anterior joint space (A), and at the p = 0.0671 level for the posterior joint space (B). The analysis of variance, in regard to the subject variable, demonstrated a statistically significant difference at the p = 0.0001 level for all condyles.