title: Resonant characteristics of the human head in relation to temporomandibular joint sounds.
abstract: Frequency analysis of the sounds produced by the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) has been claimed to be of diagnostic value. In this study the resonant behaviour of the human skull has been characterized. Assuming that impact is one major mechanism generating the sound, it is shown that the frequencies seen in TMJ sounds relate to the resonant modes of the skull. Where the rise time of the impact is sufficiently short, higher resonant modes are excited.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Dental Institute, Royal London & St Bartholomews Medical & Dental College, UK. j.f.prinz@mds.qmw.ac.uk
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Prinz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006257:Head / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010474:Percussion; D012886:Skull / Q000502:physiology*; D013016:Sound; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013706:Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014732:Vibration