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. 2014 Jun;6(2):116-23.
doi: 10.1038/ijos.2014.4. Epub 2014 Mar 21.

A study of the temporomandibular joint during bruxism

María S Commisso, Javier Martínez-Reina, Juana Mayo

A study of the temporomandibular joint during bruxism

María S Commisso et al. Int J Oral Sci. 2014 Jun.

Abstract

A finite element model of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the human mandible was fabricated to study the effect of abnormal loading, such as awake and asleep bruxism, on the articular disc. A quasilinear viscoelastic model was used to simulate the behaviour of the disc. The viscoelastic nature of this tissue is shown to be an important factor when sustained (awake bruxism) or cyclic loading (sleep bruxism) is simulated. From the comparison of the two types of bruxism, it was seen that sustained clenching is the most detrimental activity for the TMJ disc, producing an overload that could lead to severe damage of this tissue.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Finite element model of the mandible and temporomandibular joint. The posterior part of the capsule, the medial and lateral collateral ligaments and the TML are shown in more detail. TML, temporomandibular ligament.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mastication muscle activation pattern. (a) Sustained clenching; (b) RMMA. RMMA, rhythmic muscle activation.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Distribution of maximum and minimum principal stresses in the articular disc. (a) The onset of clenching (t=0.01 s); (b) after prolonged clenching (t=300 s).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Maximum shear stresses in axis of the articular disc for representative nodes during clenching. (a) Anteroposterior axis; (b) mediolateral axis.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Maximum shear stresses in the anteroposterior direction of the disc for two different muscles activation levels: 10% and 20% of MVC. MVC, maximum voluntary contraction.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Maximum and minimum principal stresses in the intermediate zone of the disc for different loading rates. For example, the maximum shear stress is plotted at t=200 s.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Maximum shear stresses in the anteroposterior axis of the disc for a rhythmic mastication muscle activation of 20% of the MVC. Only the EMG burst, lasting 0.65 s is shown. When the muscular activity ceases, the shear stresses tend to zero (not shown). EMG, electromyogram; MVC, maximum voluntary contraction.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Maximum shear stresses in the anteroposterior direction of the disc, obtained in RMMA at different percentages of the MVC. MVC, maximum voluntary contraction; RMMA, rhythmic muscle activation.
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References

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