Condylar resorption is a condition where the bone of the lower jaw narrows, affecting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the position of the lower jaw. It can be caused by infection, injury, arthritis, or be idiopathic. Treatment involves wearing synthetic guards, jaw surgery, or removing the affected condyles and inserting artificial substitutes. However, resorption can recur, and some dentists propose removing joint tissue before fixing and repositioning the condyles.
Condylar resorption is a condition affecting the bone of the lower jaw. The condyles are bony protrusions that protrude from the sides of the jawbone to form hinge joints with the skull, one on each side of the head. Each of these hinges is known as a temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Condylar resorption means that the condyles undergo condolysis, losing bone, and narrow, affecting TMJ and the angle and position of the lower jaw. Often, this means that the space between the upper and lower teeth moves apart, causing a change in the appearance of the face and sometimes making it impossible for the front teeth to close together.
There are many known causes of condylar resorption, including infection, accidental injury, and arthritis. It is not fully understood why a form of the condition, known as idiopathic condylar resorption (ICR), develops. The term idiopathic is used to describe it because, in idiopathic diseases, the cause is unknown. This type of condylar resorption is known to affect women far more frequently than men and affect adolescent girls more often, leading to dental and musculoskeletal disorders. These changes can be painful and uncomfortable, as they affect a person’s appearance and can cause pain and difficulty biting.
Condylar resorption is associated with orthodontic treatment or orthognathic surgery to correct the jawbone. Dentists don’t know if this means that condylar resorption is caused by these treatments or if people who may develop it are also more likely to seek such therapies. They are also unsure of the best form of treatment for the condition. Symptoms noted by the patient may include a changing bite, sometimes causing eating difficulties and an altered facial appearance. There may also be joint problems, causing symptoms such as pain and cracking noises.
Traditionally, treatment for condylar resorption has patients wear synthetic guards over the teeth to relieve pressure from the condyles. In cases where the condyles have been severely affected by resorption, they are removed and artificial substitutes are inserted instead. Finally, jaw surgery is performed to correct the patient’s bite.
A potential problem with this treatment is that, in some cases, resorption can recur. Some dentists have proposed a different method, where some of the joint tissue is removed before parts of the condyles are actually fixed and repositioned. Then the surgeon performs jaw surgery to correct the bite of the patient. This procedure depends on whether there are enough condyles left to be retrievable.
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