L.J. van Ruijven

Three-dimensional finite element analysis of the human temporomandibular joint disc.

A three-dimensional finite element model of the articular disc of the human temporomandibular joint has been developed. The geometry of the articular cartilage and articular disc surfaces in the joint was measured using a magnetic tracking device. First, polynomial functions were fitted through the coordinates of these scattered measurements. Next, the polynomial description was transformed into a triangulated description to allow application of an automatic mesher. Finally, a finite element mesh of the articular disc was created by filling the geometry with tetrahedral elements. The articulating surfaces of the mandible and skull were modeled by quadrilateral patches. The finite element mesh and the patches were combined to create a three-dimensional model in which unrestricted sliding of the disc between the articulating surfaces was allowed. Simulation of statical joint loading at the closed jaw position predicted that the stress and strain distributions were located primarily in the intermediate zone of the articular disc with the highest values in the lateral part. Furthermore, it was predicted that considerable deformations occurred for relatively small joint loads and that relatively large variations in the direction of joint loading had little influence on the distribution of the deformations.

Three-dimensional Finite Element Analysis of the Cartilaginous Structures in the Human Temporomandibular Joint

While the movability of the human temporomandibular joint is great, the strains and stresses in the cartilaginous structures might largely depend on the position of the mandible with respect to the skull. This hypothesis was investigated by means of static three-dimensional finite element simulations involving different habitual condylar positions. Furthermore, the influence of several model parameters was examined by sensitivity analyses. The results indicated that the disc moved together with the condyle in the anterior direction without the presence of ligaments and the lateral pterygoid muscle. By adapting its shape to the changing geometry of the articular surfaces, the disc prevented small contact areas and thus local peak loading. In a jaw-closed configuration, the influence of 30° variations of the loading direction was negligible. The load distribution capability of the disc appeared to be proportional to its elasticity and was enhanced by the fibrocartilage layers on the articular surfaces.

Electromyographic Heterogeneity in the Human Temporalis and Masseter Muscles during Dynamic Tasks Guided by Visual Feedback

The complex architecture of the human jaw muscles suggests regional differences in function within these muscles. This study examines the way the temporalis and masseter muscle regions are activated when free mandibular movements with various speeds and against various external loads are carried out guided by visual feedback. Electromyographic (EMG) activity was registered in six temporalis and three masseter muscle regions with bipolar fine-wire electrodes. Recordings were made during open/close excursions, protrusion/retrusion movements, and laterodeviations. During open/close excursions and protrusion/retrusion movements, an anterior and posterior temporalis part could be distinguished, whereas during laterodeviations a more complex partitioning of this muscle was observed. During the protrusion/retrusion movements and the laterodeviations, the temporalis muscle demonstrated higher EMG peak activities than the masseter muscle, and within the masseter muscle the deep masseter showed higher EMG peaks than the superficial one. In contrast to this, during the open/close excursions the masseter showed higher peak activities than the temporalis muscle, while the superficial masseter showed higher EMG peak activities than the deep masseter. Within the deep masseter, differences were also found. During open/close excursions, the anterior deep region demonstrated higher EMG peak activities than the posterior region, whereas during protrusion/retrusion and laterodeviations the posterior deep region showed higher peaks. In general, speed had a greater effect on the EMG peak activity than external load. Only during laterodeviations did speed and load equally influence peak activity in both the deep and superficial masseter. During protrusion/retrusion movements, load showed no significant effect on EMG peak activity in the masseter muscle. A general finding was that, according to task, different regions were activated preferentially. This points to a partitioning of the excitatory command of the motoneuron pool.

Porosity of human mandibular condylar bone

Quantification of porosity and degree of mineralization of bone facilitates a better understanding of the possible effects of adaptive bone remodelling and the possible consequences for its mechanical properties. The present study set out first to give a three‐dimensional description of the cortical canalicular network in the human mandibular condyle, in order to obtain more information about the principal directions of stresses and strains during loading. Our second aim was to determine whether the amount of remodelling was larger in the trabecular bone than in cortical bone of the condyle and to establish whether the variation in the amount of remodelling was related to the surface area of the cortical canals and trabeculae. We hypothesized that there were differences in porosity and orientation of cortical canals between various cortical regions. In addition, as greater cortical and trabecular porosities are likely to coincide with a greater surface area of cortical canals and trabeculae available for osteoblastic and osteoclastic activity, we hypothesized that this surface area would be inversely proportional to the degree of mineralization of cortical and trabecular bone, respectively. Micro‐computed tomography was used to quantify porosity and mineralization in cortical and trabecular bone of ten human mandibular condyles. The cortical canals in the subchondral cortex of the condyle were orientated in the mediolateral direction, and in the anterior and posterior cortex in the superoinferior direction. Cortical porosity (average 3.5%) did not differ significantly between the cortical regions. It correlated significantly with the diameter and number of cortical canals, but not with cortical degree of mineralization. In trabecular bone (average porosity 79.3%) there was a significant negative correlation between surface area of the trabeculae and degree of mineralization; such a correlation was not found between the surface area of the cortical canals and the degree of mineralization of cortical bone. No relationship between trabecular and cortical porosity, nor between trabecular degree of mineralization and cortical degree of mineralization was found, suggesting that adaptive remodelling is independent and different between trabecular and cortical bone. We conclude (1) that the principal directions of stresses and strains are presumably directed mediolaterally in the subchondral cortex and superoinferiorly in the anterior and posterior cortex, (2) that the amount of remodelling is larger in the trabecular than in the cortical bone of the mandibular condyle; in trabecular bone variation in the amount of remodelling is related to the available surface area of the trabeculae.

The Influence of Specimen Attachment and Dimension on Microtensile Strength

The higher microtensile bond strength values found for specimens with a smaller cross-sectional area are often explained by the lower occurrence of internal defects and surface flaws. We hypothesized that this aberrant behavior is mainly caused by the lateral way of attachment of the specimens to the testing device, which makes the strength dependent on the thickness. This study showed that composite bars of 1×1×10, 1×2×10, and 1×3×10mm attached at their 1-mm-wide side (situation A) fractured at loads of the same magnitude, as a result of which the microtensile strength (μTS), calculated as F/A (force at fracture/cross-sectional area), significantly increased for specimens with decreasing thickness. Attachment at the 1-, 2-, or 3-mm-wide side (situation B) resulted in equal μTS values (P > 0.05). Finite element analysis showed different stress patterns for situation A, but comparable patterns for situation B. Both situations showed the same maximum stress at fracture.

Structural and Mechanical Properties of Mandibular Condylar Bone

The trabecular bone of the mandibular condyle is structurally anisotropic and heterogeneous. We hypothesized that its apparent elastic moduli are also anisotropic and heterogeneous, and depend on trabecular density and orientation. Eleven condyles were scanned with a micro-CT system. Volumes of interest were selected for the construction of finite element models. We simulated compressive and shear tests to determine the principal mechanical directions and the apparent elastic moduli. Compressive moduli were relatively large in directions acting in the sagittal plane, and small in the mediolateral direction. The degree of mechanical anisotropy ranged from 4.7 to 10.8. Shear moduli were largest in the sagittal plane and smallest in the transverse plane. The magnitudes of the moduli varied with the condylar region and were proportional to the bone volume fraction. Furthermore, principal mechanical direction correlated significantly with principal structural direction. It was concluded that variation in trabecular structure coincides with variation in apparent mechanical properties.

Mineral heterogeneity affects predictions of intratrabecular stress and strain

Knowledge of the influence of mineral variations (i.e., mineral heterogeneity) on biomechanical bone behavior at the trabecular level is limited. The aim of this study is to investigate how this material property affects the intratrabecular distributions of stress and strain in human adult trabecular bone. Two different sets of finite element (FE) models of trabecular samples were constructed; tissue stiffness was either scaled to the local degree of mineralization of bone as measured with microCT (heterogeneous) or tissue stiffness was assumed to be homogeneous. The influence of intratrabecular mineral heterogeneity was analyzed by comparing both models. Interesting effects were seen regarding intratrabecular stress and strain distributions. In the homogeneous model, the highest stresses were found at the surface with a significant decrease towards the core. Higher superficial stresses could indicate a higher predicted fracture risk in the trabeculae. In the heterogeneous model this pattern was different. A significant increase in stress with increasing distance from the trabecular surface was found followed by a significant decrease towards the core. This suggests trabecular bending during a compression. In both models a decrease in strain values from surface to core was predicted, which is consistent with trabecular bending. When mineral heterogeneity was taken into account, the predicted intratrabecular patterns of stress and strain are more consistent with the expected biomechanical behavior as based on mineral variations in trabeculae. Our findings indicate that mineral heterogeneity should not be neglected when performing biomechanical studies on topics such as the (long-term or dose dependent) effects of antiresorptive treatments.

Mechanical Significance of the Trabecular Microstructure of the Human Mandibular Condyle

The human mandibular condyle has a parasagittal plate-like trabecular structure. We tested the hypothesis that this structure reflects the mechanical loading of the condyle. We developed a finite element model of the condyle to analyze the strains occurring during static compressive loading. The principal strains in the trabecular bone were primarily oriented in the sagittal plane. The first component was compressive and oriented supero-inferiorly. The second component was negligibly small and oriented medio-laterally. The third component was tensile, oriented antero-posteriorly, and almost equal to the compressive strain. This tensile strain was caused by antero-posterior bulging of the cortex. This means that the trabecular structure is also subjected to significant tensile forces. The orientation of the parasagittal strains followed the direction of the applied load. It was concluded that the trabecular structure of the mandibular condyle is optimal in resisting the compressive and tensile strains to which it is subjected.

Prediction of Mechanical Properties of the Cancellous Bone of the Mandibular Condyle

The mechanical properties of cancellous bone depend on the bone structure. The present study examined the extent to which the apparent stiffness of the cancellous bone of the human mandibular condyle can be predicted from its structure. Two models were compared. The first, a structure model, used structural parameters such as bone volume fraction and anisotropy to estimate the apparent stiffness. The second was a finite element model (FEM) of the cancellous bone. The bone structure was characterized by micro-computed tomography. The calculated stiffnesses of 24 bone samples were compared with measured stiffnesses. Both models could predict 89% of the variation in the measured stiffnesses. From the stiffness approximated by FEM in combination with the measured stiffness, the stiffness of the bone tissue was estimated to be 11.1 ± 3.2 GPa. It was concluded that both models could predict the stiffness of cancellous bone with adequate accuracy.

A telemetry system to chronically record muscle activity in middle-sized animals

Radio-telemetry enables the long-term recordings of biopotentials that may be obtained in freely moving animals without interference by the experimenter. The purpose of this study was to test a fully implantable device for: (1) its transmission range; (2) the characteristics of the transmitted signals; and (3) its actual application in long-term in vivo registration of EMG. Transmission range was tested by changing the devices position relative to the receiver. Computer simulation of the filtering characteristics provided comparison of original and transmitted signals. Implantation of the device in masticatory muscles, followed by analysis of telemetred signals and determination of activity levels allowed for examination of daily muscle use. The implants transmission range covered the cage size for middle-sized animals with a minimum of signal dropouts. Transmitted signals were marked by (partial) loss of frequencies beyond 50 Hz, decreased amplitude and slightly delayed timing relative to original waveforms. Analysis of the transmitted EMG revealed that the device can be used for prolonged in vivo EMG registration, detection of peak activity levels, and the examination of general muscle use by the time spent at different levels of activity.