A Finite Element Analysis of Stress Distribution in the Temporomandibular Joints Following the Teeth Loss

치아결손이 측두하악관절의 응력분포에 미치는 영향에 관한 유한요소법적 분석

The purpose of this study was to investigate the stress distribution and the displacement in the temporomandibular joints following the teeth loss patterns. The three dimensional finite element method was used for a mathematical model. The finite element model was composed of 1,632 elements and 2,411 nodes in the mandible with articular disc and mandibular fossa of the temporal bone. The masseter, the temporal and the internal pterygoid muscle forces were applied at each insertion site, bisecting point of gonion and antegonion, tip of the coronoid process, and gonion at the ration of 2:2:1 respectively. The directions of muscles force were obtained from frontal and lateral cephalometric tracings using bony landmarks of the skull. The results were as follows : 1. In control model, the minimum principal stresses were concentrated on the region of anterosuperior part of the condyle head and articular disc, and maximum principal stresses on the anterior part of the condyle head and posterolateral part of the articular disc. 2. In case of unilateral teeth loss, the greater principal stress appeared at the teeth loss side and the principal stresses increased at the teeth loss side as the number of the posterior teeth loss went up. 3. In case of bilateral teeth loss, the principal stresses were greater than those of the control model and as the number of the posterior teeth loss increased, the grater principal stresses on the temporomandibular joints appeared at the both side. 4. When the posterior teeth existed bilateral, the principal stress patterns were similar to those of the control model. 5. The displacement ws directed mainly upward and backward in the upper part of the temporomandibular joints and upward and forward in the largest part of the condyle head. The displacement increased as the number of the posterior teeth loss went up.