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Collegium antropologicum, Vol. 39 No. 1, 2015.

Original scientific paper

Movements of Temporomandibular Condyles during Swallowing

Samir Čimić ; University of Zagreb, School of Dental Medicine, Department of Removable Prosthodontics, Zagreb, Croatia
Sonja Kraljević Šimunković ; University of Zagreb, School of Dental Medicine, Department of Removable Prosthodontics, Zagreb, Croatia
Renata Kevilj Gospić ; Dental Clinic Zagreb, Department of Orthodontics, Zagreb, Croatia
Tomislav Badel ; University of Zagreb, School of Dental Medicine, Department of Removable Prosthodontics, Zagreb, Croatia
Nikša Dulčić ; University of Zagreb, School of Dental Medicine, Department of Removable Prosthodontics, Zagreb, Croatia
Amir Ćatić ; University of Zagreb, School of Dental Medicine, Department of Fixed Prosthodontics, Zagreb, Croatia

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Abstract

There have been studies that investigated mandibular movements and positioning during swallowing, but the results
were inconsistent, and still the exact position of the condyles during swallowing is unknown. The purpose of this investigation
was to study the kinematics of the mandible and the condyles, and to determine the actual movement paths and
position of mandible and condyles during the process of swallowing. The study was performed on a sample of 44 dental
students. Measurements were done with an electronic axiograph. After non-occlusing attachment was fi xed in the mouth,
every subject swallowed for fi ve times from the rest position. The fi nal swallowing position of the left and the right condyles
was measured in the sagittal plane. The fi nal swallowing position of the sagittal incisal point was measured in sagittal,
frontal and horizontal plane, and data was statistically analyzed. The condyles showed average movement toward posterior
(left 0.17 mm, SD 0.28, right 0.16 mm, SD 0.25) and superior (left 0.14 mm, SD 0.20, right 0.14 mm, SD 0.23).
Anterior and/or inferior position had 20% of participants. The average sagittal incisal point movement during swallowing
was toward anterior (0.30 mm, SD 0.53) and superior (0.81 mm, SD 0.84). The mean mandibular lateral movement
was 0.1 mm (SD 0.1). The results of the study suggest that retrusion during swallowing is not the rule, although on average
there is a slight tendency of condylar movement toward posterior. Swallowing can be used as auxiliary method for
determining vertical dimension of occlusion.

Keywords

axiography; condylar movement; deglutition; kinematics of the mandible; temporomandibular joint. Received for

Hrčak ID:

147708

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/147708

Publication date:

30.3.2015.

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