Prevalence of the Bifid Mandibular Condyle and Its Relationship with Pathologies of the Temporomandibular Joint: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of anatomical variants in the bifid mandibular condyle (BMC) and report its association with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pathology.

METHODS

We searched the Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and LILACS databases from their inception up to September 2023. Two authors independently performed the search, study selection, and data extraction, and they also assessed the methodological quality with an assurance tool for anatomical studies (AQUA). Finally, the pooled prevalence was estimated using a random effects model.

RESULTS

A total of 50 studies met the eligibility criteria. Twenty studies, with a total of 88,625 subjects, were included in the meta-analysis. The overall prevalence of the bifid mandibular condyle (BMC) variant was 1% (95% CI = 1% to 2%).

CONCLUSIONS

The correlation between the BMC and TMJ pathologies has a relatively low prevalence in studies that present a considerable number of subjects. From a clinical point of view, a direct association cannot be made between the presence of the BMC and TMJ pathologies or symptoms.

Trifid Mandibular Condyle: Case Report and Current Review of the Literature

Trifid mandibular condyle (TMC) is a rare anatomical variation characterized by the duplication of the mandibular condyle. The aim of this study is to report a new case of a 26-year-old female patient with a left TMC and to review the current existing literature on TMC, the relevant cases, etiology, symptoms and different treatment modalities. The database engines PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of science, Scientific Electronic Library Online, Cochrane and CINAHL were searched for TMC cases from inception until April of 2022. Only 13 previous cases of TMC were found. Although it is a rare anatomical entity, TMC is increasingly being detected due to more advanced imaging techniques, especially computed tomography (CT), cone beam CT (CBCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) emerging in the field of dentistry. The etiology and pathogenesis of TMC and its relationship with TMD are still unclear. Further studies and follow-up may help to better understand this anatomic variant and possible interactions with local pathologies.