Shifting the Spotlight From the Mandibular Condyle to the Coronoid Process: A Report of a Unique Case of Trifid Mandibular Coronoid Process

Abstract

The trifid mandibular coronoid process is an uncommon finding characterized by three projections arising from the mandibular ramus instead of a single triangular coronoid process. Previous authors reported cases of the bifid coronoid process. The authors referred to them as the bifid/second/double coronoid process. This article aims to report a unique case of a trifid coronoid process incidentally detected during radiographic evaluation for implant planning. This article also emphasizes the effectiveness of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) volume rendering as a valuable tool in demonstrating morphological variations such as the trifid coronoid process. In addition, we discussed possible etiologies for the trifid coronoid process. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of the trifid coronoid process.

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

“…The BMC can be asymptomatic or present different signs a symptoms, such as pain, swelling, hypomobility, joint blockage, deviation, joint dislo tion, or even TMJ ankylosis. This highlights the importance of understanding this en to identify its possible causative factors, and to know the types and degrees of joint d function that can arise without clinical intervention and how these could functionally a the TMJ [8][9][10][11]. The objective of this review is to understand the prevalence and characteristics of BMC and its relationship with TMJ pathologies.…”