title: Decreased Temporomandibular Joint Range of Motion in a Model of Early Osteoarthritis in the Rabbit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Analysis of mandibular biomechanics could help with understanding the mechanisms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders (TMJDs), such as osteoarthritis (TMJ-OA), by investigating the effects of injury or disease on TMJ movement. The objective of the present study was to determine the functional kinematic implications of mild TMJ-OA degeneration caused by altered occlusion from unilateral splints in the rabbit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Altered occlusion of the TMJ was mechanically induced in rabbits by way of a unilateral molar dental splint (n = 3). TMJ motion was assessed using 3-dimensional (3D) skeletal kinematics twice, once before and once after 6 weeks of splint placement with the splints removed, after allowing 3 days of recovery. The relative motion of the condyle to the fossa and the distance between the incisors were tracked.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An overall decrease in the range of joint movement was observed at the incisors and in the joint space between the condyle and fossa. The incisor movement decreased from 7.0 ± 0.5 mm to 6.2 ± 0.5 mm right to left, from 5.5 ± 2.2 mm to 4.6 ± 0.8 mm anterior to posterior, and from 13.3 ± 1.8 mm to 11.6 ± 1.4 mm superior to inferior (P < .05). The total magnitude of the maximum distance between the points on the condyle and fossa decreased from 3.6 ± 0.8 mm to 3.1 ± 0.6 mm for the working condyle and 2.8 ± 0.4 mm to 2.5 ± 0.4 mm for the balancing condyle (P < .05). The largest decreases were seen in the anteroposterior direction for both condyles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Determining the changes in condylar movement might lead to a better understanding of the early predictors in the development of TMJ-OA and determining when the symptoms become a chronic, irreversible problem.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Student Researcher, Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.affiliation: Research Technician, Department of Oral Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Mauro A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tudares
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tashman
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Bioengineering; Department of Oral Biology; and McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. Electronic address: aja19@pitt.edu.
authors.forename: Alejandro J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Almarza
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011817:Rabbits; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*