Custom-Made Temporomandibular Joint Replacement Design Process

Samuel Diógenes Azevedo de Souza; Anita Gaia Mazzocco; Sara Crivellini; Maria Ingrid Rocha Barbosa Schiavon; Viktor Oswaldo Cárdenas Concha; André Luiz Jardini; Elifas Levy Nunes; Rubens Maciel Filho

doi:10.37591/rrjod.v13i3.2986

Abstract

AbstractTemporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a joint of small dimensions composed by two components: condyle, the extremity of mandibular bone, and fossa, in the cranial bone. TMJ is one of the most used human joints, because it is used to talk, eat, and breathe, for example. For this reason, TMJ disorder can significantly impair patient's quality of life. So that, it becomes necessary to replace the natural joint with an alloplastic prosthetic device, composed of medical grade metal alloys. TMJ prosthesis aims to restore the correct behaviour of TMJ joint and consequently improve patient's quality of life. In the last century, the advances in computational modeling and additive manufacturing technologies have led to the emergence of custom-made, or patient-fitted, prosthesis. Custom-made prosthesis are made based on patient anatomy to ensure correct fitting and so reducing surgery time. This study aims to show and explain the process steps to design a TMJ custom-made prosthesis. Starting from tomographic data images TMJ bone structures is separated from others. Then, computer aided design (CAD) model of TMJ prosthesis is created based on patient's anatomy, with the Materialise and Solidworks softwares. So finite elements analysis (FEA) with Ansys Workbench software is performed to simulate bite load and evaluate TMJ mechanical behaviour. Finally, TMJ prosthesis model is fabricated with additive manufacture, via DMLS technology.Keywords: Temporomandibular joint replacement, custom-made device, CAD model, finite elements analysis, additive manufacturing.Citation: Samuel Diógenes Azevedo de Souza, Anita Gaia Mazzocco, Sara Crivellini, Maria Ingrid Rocha Barbosa Schiavon, Viktor Oswaldo Cárdenas Concha, André Luiz Jardini, Elifas Levy Nunes, Rubens Maciel Filho. Custom-Made Temporomandibular Joint Replacement Design Process. Research & Reviews: A Journal of Dentistry. 2022; 13(3): 1–14p.