The effect of altering jaw position on the transmission of vibration between the skull and teeth in humans

Abstract

The forces that develop in the human temporomandibular joint during function have never been directly measured, yet many patients exhibit excessive localized wear and tear of the joint, suggesting that at times these forces exceed tissue tolerance. The purpose here was to gain insight into vibration transmission between the cranium and mandible in healthy humans during variations of jaw position. In 13 normal healthy adult men (age 25–40 years) with normal dentitions, vibration (around 400 Hz, sine wave) was applied to the skull vertex and changes in the intensity of the vibration signal were measured using several small linear accelerometers cemented to the buccal surfaces of mandibular first molars and the labial surfaces of maxillary central incisors. The jaw was opened, protruded and moved laterally by the individual participant and vibration signal intensities were tested (lower first molar signal/upper incisor signal) for change at each mandibular position by ANOVA. The results showed the vibration signal changed significantly with opening and less so on protrusion and laterotrusion. The vibration signal during opening could be categorized into three types: (1) signal increased continuously with increased opening; (2) signal increased, then reached a plateau during last third of opening; (3) signal increased, then decreased when the individual moved from 40 mm to maximum opening. These findings show that as the jaw moves laterally, and especially as it opens, the magnitude of the vibration signal increases substantially compared with the near-closed position.