title: Biomechanical analysis of the influence of friction in jaw joint disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Increased friction due to impaired lubrication in the jaw joint has been considered as one of the possible causes for internal joint disorders. A very common internal disorder in the jaw joint is an anteriorly dislocated articular disc. This is generally considered to contribute to the onset of arthritic injuries. Increase of friction as caused by impairment of lubrication is suspected to be a possible cause for such a disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  The influence of friction was addressed by analysis of its effects on tensions and deformations of the cartilaginous structures in the jaw joint using computational biomechanical analysis. Jaw open-close movements were simulated while in one or two compartments of the right joint friction was applied in the articular contact. The left joint was treated as the healthy control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The simulations predicted that friction primarily causes increased shear stress in the articular cartilage layers, but hardly in the articular disc.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This suggests that impaired lubrication may facilitate deterioration of the cartilage-subchondral bone unit of the articular surfaces. The results further suggest that increased friction is not a plausible cause for turning a normally functioning articular disc into an anteriorly dislocated one.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Cell Biology and Functional Anatomy, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam Research Institute Move, University of Amsterdam and VU University, Gustav Mahlerlaan 3004, 1081 LA Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Koolstra
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D017276:Friction / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000503:physiopathology; D008153:Lubrication; D008954:Models, Biological; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019224:Temporomandibular Joint Disc / Q000503:physiopathology; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*