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In-vitro Measurement of Reaction Forces in the Temporomandibular Joints Using a Redundantly Actuated Parallel Chewing Robot

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) acts as a pivot to connect the mandible to the skull, making it important load bearing component in the human chewing physiology. Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) is a common affliction, however, its etiology is yet uncertain. The texture of the food materials in our dietary habits is assumed to be associated with the TMD symptoms. In this paper, strain gauges, as force sensors, are added to a redundantly actuated parallel chewing robot with two higher kinematic pairs functioning as the robot’s TMJs. The force sensors are calibrated and used to measure the reaction forces on the TMJs during chewing cycles of the robot. The results of this research allow for understanding the effects of the chewing habits on the applied forces on the TMJs to identify and avoid a potential etiologic factor for the TMD.