The laterotrusion of the mandible is often combined with the clicking of the temporomandibular joint. An optoelectronic measuring method renders it possible to exactly record the clicking and the position of the mandible at this moment. With this method 25 patients with an initial clicking were observed. Moreover the capiti mandibulae of dissections were measured in order to determine the width of the caput mandibulae and the size of the fovea pterygoidea mandibulae. The results show the connection of clicking, laterotrusion mandibulae, hypertrophy and dysfunction of the lateral pterygoid muscle. The therapy for the clicking is derived from this.