TMJ
A jaw implant for a patient who lost their joint to cancer treatment.
Modal and fatigue analysis of a temporomandibular joint implant. A mesh refined at the condyle and screws, a 150 N cyclic chewing load, and a lighter titanium redesign.
The head that sits in the joint. Mode 1 twists it at 234 Hz.
Fixed to the bone here, where stress concentrates.
The bone the implant rebuilds.
- Brief
- A patient has lost the joint and part of the jaw on both sides to cancer treatment. Design the implant with finite element analysis.
- Role
- Individual: modelling, mesh refinement, modal and fatigue analysis, and the redesign.
- Outcome
- First mode at 234 Hz, and a fatigue life beyond a million cycles.
234 Hz
first mode
1M+
cycles of fatigue life
It's not just about whether it breaks, it's about when, and why.
- 01
Model
Lightweight, patient-specific, fixed with screws.
- 02
Mesh
Refined at the condyle and the screws, until the answer stopped changing.
- 03
Vibrate
Natural frequencies, so it never resonates in use.
- 04
Fatigue
150 N, cycled. Over a million cycles before failure.
