Identification of Biomechanical Properties of Temporomandibular Discs

Purpose of the Paper. The study was aimed at identifying the biomechanical properties of the temporomandibular disc. Material. Experimental and model tests were conducted on ten fresh porcine temporomandibular joint discs. The average thickness of disc tissue was, accordingly, 2.77 mm for the anterior zone, 3.98 mm for the posterior, and 1.54 mm for the intermediate. The selection of research material in the form of porcine discs was due to the similarity to human discs. Methods. Discs were loaded in cycles, a temporary course with the amplitude 3 N and frequency 0.07 Hz, and growth in the load was 1 N/s. The selection of load frequency was due to real conditions of temporomandibular joint functioning during mastication. The necessary experimental research was conducted on a testing machine with a measurement range of 2.5 kN. Results. The obtained numeric calculation results indicate that the number of load cycles has a decisive impact on the limitation of energy dispersion capacity through disc tissue. This phenomenon was observed in all the studies on the disc areas. Along with the growth in load cycles, discs are stiffened, and the most significant stiffness was observed in the intermediate area. Conclusions. Based on the conducted research, it should be concluded that excessive load affecting temporomandibular joints caused by the act of mastication and occlusal forces generated during parafunction and in people with defined long-term bruxism has crucial importance on biomechanical disc properties and hence the course of temporomandibular joint conditions.