Evaluation of temporomandibular joint function in healthy children is important. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate characteristics of condylar movement during lateral excursion in children. Methods: Thirty subjects (sixty joints total) were divided into three age groups: early mixed dentition group (4 boys, 6 girls, group1), early permanent dentition group (4 boys, 6 girls, group2) and permanent dentition group (3 men, 7 women, group3). Border jaw movements and excursions were measured with 6 degrees of freedom jaw tracking device (MM-JI-E, SHOFU, Japan). The reference points were incisal point, working and nonworking kinematic condylar points. Characteristics of condylar movement in children were investigated by three-dimensional condylar path distance during lateral excursion. Results: The distance of working condylar path during lateral excursion was significantly larger in group1 than in other groups (p<0.05) and decreased with growth. The distance of working condylar path along the superior-inferior axis was significantly larger in children (both group1 and 2) than in adults (p<0.05) and decreased with growth. The distance of working and nonworking condylar path along the left-right axis was significantly larger in group1 than in group2 (p<0.05) and did not show significant difference between group2 and adults. The distance of nonworking condylar path, working and nonworking condylar path along the anterior-posterior axis and nonworking condylar path along the superior-inferior axis did not show significant difference between each group. Conclusion: These results suggest that condylar movement in children has higher mobility than that of adults and condylar movement in children is stabilized with growth. This work was supported by MEXT.KAKENHI(15791214).

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