Numerical simulation of the human mandible validation of the activity of the masticatory muscles

The article describes part of a research project aiming to develop a new mo dular software tool for the individual dynamic numerical simulation of the human mandible using the finite element method (FEM). Its planned use in th e clinical setting makes it very important to validate the results of the s imulations. Here, the function of the masticatory muscles is to be tested. On the basis of biomechanical data from the literature, standard movements, such as clo sing the mouth, forward movement, lateral movement or backward movement, we re dynamically simulated. Apart from muscle activity, the movements of the mandible are defined by the temporomandibular joint. At present, translatin g the condylar dynamics to the simulation still poses problems. For this re ason, therefore, simulations of the two extreme cases ,,fixed" and ,,force- free" condyles are compared. While in the case of fixed condyles, some of t he movements could be reproduced either not Bt all or only weakly, in the c ase of force-free condyles, all standard movements were reproduced qualitat ively, albeit without the guiding effect of the joint capsule or the articu lar disc.