Prosthesis Loading after Temporomandibular Joint Replacement Surgery: A Musculoskeletal Modeling Study

Abstract

One of the most widely reported complications associated with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) prosthetic total joint replacement (TJR) surgery is condylar component screw loosening and instability. The objective of this study was to develop a musculoskeletal model of the human jaw to assess the influence of prosthetic condylar component orientation and screw placement on condylar component loading during mastication. A three-dimensional model of the jaw comprising the maxilla, mandible, masticatory muscles, articular cartilage, and articular disks was developed. Simulations of mastication and a maximum force bite were performed for the natural TMJ and the TMJ after prosthetic TJR surgery, incl..