Dental abrasion as a factor in remodeling of the mandibular condyle.

Skulls of 100 male and female subjects of various ages and with unimpaired dental arches were examined with respect to the morphological features of the mandibular condyle. A certain number of typical shapes were distinguished. Dental abrasion was also assessed and three parameters were calculated: (1) total abrasion index; (2) working:balancing abrasion ratio, and (3) frontal abrasion index. These data were then related to condylar shape and subject age. The results show that abrasion influences changes in condyle shape due to bone remodeling. The forces applied on this bone segment are distributed over functional areas that vary both in extent and in their different characteristics.