Mandibular Growth Disturbance in Rheumatoid Arthritis of Childhood

THE RELATIONSHIP of the mandibular condyle to mandibular growth and its significance in certain types of mandibular deformities were discussed in earlier publications.1The following study was initiated when it was noted that some of these mandibular disturbances occurred in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In order to study this relationship further, any cases of rheumatoid arthritis in children admitted to the University of Illinois Hospitals or Clinics during the past year were studied by the orthodontia department concurrent with their pediatric management. As a result, 6 children manifesting mandibular involvement during the course of rhematoid arthritis were available for study. MATERIAL AND METHOD All the patients, with one exception, received a thorough physical examination. Lateral and frontal cephalometric roentgenograms were made with the use of the Broadbent-Bolton cephalometer. This technic permits production of relatively undistorted films which can be duplicated, since the relation of head to film to tube