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Condylar hyperplasia is over-enlargement of the mandible bone in the skull. It was first described by Robert Adams in 1836 who related it to the overdevelopment of mandible. In humans, mandibular bone has two condyles which are known as growth centers of the mandible. When growth at the condyle exceeds its normal time span, it is referred to as condylar hyperplasia. The most common form of condylar hyperplasia is unilateral condylar hyperplasia where one condyle overgrows the other condyle leading to facial asymmetry. Hugo Obwegeser et al. classified condylar hyperplasia into two categories: hemimandibular hyperplasia and hemimandibular elongation. It is estimated that about 30% of people with facial asymmetry express condylar hyperplasia.
In 1986, Obwegeser and Makek specifically detailed two hemimandibular anomalies, hemimandibular hyperplasia and hemimandibular elongation. These anomalies can be clinically present in a pure form or in combination.