Gonial angles and condylar and ramus height of the mandible in complete denture wearers--a panoramic radiograph study.

It has been accepted that the shape of the mandibular base, and especially the gonial angle of the mandible, correlates with the function of the jaw closing muscles. The gonial angles of the mandible and condylar and ramus heights of 30 complete denture wearers (18 women, 12 men, mean age 61 years, range 42-74 years) coming for renewal of their dentures were measured using panoramic radiographs. The mean period of edentulousness was 26 years (range 10-53 years). No statistically significant difference was observed between the sexes in the the sizes of gonial angles and condylar and ramus heights. The right gonial angle was statistically significantly smaller than the left one and correlated negatively with the ramus height in both sides but positively with the increased EMG activity in the right masseter muscle. The size of the gonial angle and the condylar and ramus heights did not correlate with the age of the patients, edentulous period or alveolar ridge resorption.