Rear-Impact Inflicted Temporomandibular Joint Injury

Indirect injuries to the jaw can lead to a range of painful symptoms with serious consequences. These injuries are confirmed by clinical evidence but the injury mechanism is not understood. This work is an investigation into the nature of the injury process.

We have previously reported on the impact testing of a mechanistic model of a human head, neck and mandible. Results showed high angular velocities and accelerations of the mandible, but the magnitude of mouth opening lay within physiological limits. This paper reports on further impact tests using the same physical model to determine the kinematic behaviour of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) during whiplash. In addition, human cadaveric samples were tested to quantify some structural properties of the TMJ. The results from this and data from a mathematical model of the TMJ are reported.