Assessment of the quantitative impact of occlusal positioning splints on temporomandibular joint conditions

2026-04-28

AI Summary

This study addresses the quantitative assessment of how occlusal splints influence temporomandibular joint (TMJ) configuration while avoiding repeated imaging. The authors propose a multimodal fusion approach that treats the splint as a physical realization of a predefined rigid transformation of the mandible, integrating cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), facial motion capture, and dental scan data within a unified coordinate system to model and simulate changes in TMJ joint space. For the first time, TMJ configuration is indirectly evaluated using a single anatomical model combined with rigid-body transformations, substantially reducing the need for multi-positional imaging. Furthermore, statistical error propagation analysis in rigid-motion space enables quantitative validation of discrepancies between planned and actual mandibular poses, and the study demonstrates a simulation pipeline for evaluating joint-space alterations.

Abstract

A computational method for quantitative analysis of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) configuration using occlusal positioning splints is proposed and demonstrated. The method models a positioning splint as a physical realization of a predefined rigid transformation of the mandible, derived from multimodal data, including CBCT, facial motion acquisition, and dental scans integrated within a common coordinate system. Splints corresponding to selected mandibular positions are designed and fabricated, and their positioning accuracy is evaluated using repeated scans of plaster models. Discrepancies are represented as error transformations and analyzed statistically in the space of rigid motions. The estimated transformations are propagated to segmented TMJ structures, enabling simulation-based evaluation of joint space changes. Transformation-based error analysis and surface distance metrics are used to quantify differences between planned and achieved configurations. The method enables indirect assessment of TMJ configuration using a single anatomical model and transformation data, reducing the need for repeated imaging across multiple mandibular positions. This study is intended as a methodological demonstration, supported by a clear step-by-step graphical presentation, and does not aim to provide clinical validation.

Problem

• occlusal positioning splints
• temporomandibular joint
• quantitative assessment
• mandibular positioning
• joint space

Innovation

• occlusal positioning splint
• rigid transformation
• temporomandibular joint
• multimodal data integration
• computational modeling