Morphometry and Morphology of the Articular Surfaces of the Medial Region of the Temporomandibular Joint in the Felis Catus (Domestic cat) - A Cone Beam Computed Tomography Study

Abstract

The articular surfaces of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in the cat consist of the articular head of the condylar process of the ramus of the mandible and the mandibular fossa of the petrous part of the temporal bone. Anatomic conformation of the TMJ articular surfaces can vary; however, this has not been studied in the cat. Thus, the aim of this study was to characterize the conformation of the medial region of the TMJ in mesocephalic adult cats as well as to determine the articular relationship by measurement of the degree of coverage of the mandibular fossa over the articular head. This was accomplished by assessing 60 TMJs from 30 mesocephalic adult cats by means of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). The width and depth of the mandibular fossa, and the degree of coverage of the mandibular fossa were evaluated using parasagittal reconstructions of the medial aspect of the TMJ by two observers. No statistically significant difference was observed during the intra and interobserver evaluation of the mandibular fossa width and depth and the degree of coverage of the mandibular fossa over the articular head. P-values for the studied variables were greater than 0.05. The resulting measurements demonstrated a concave mandibular fossa with a prominent retroarticular process and a poorly developed articular eminence; a well-defined rounded articular surface, and a high degree of coverage (171°) of the mandibular fossa over the articular head. In conclusion, the articular surfaces at the medial aspect of the TMJ displayed elevated geometric similarity, with an articular head of the condylar process deeply seated in the mandibular fossa.