The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a small joint located in front of the ear where the skull and lower jaw meet. It permits the lower jaw (mandible) to move and function.

TMJ disorders are not uncommon and have a variety of symptoms. Patients may complain of earaches, headaches and limited ability to open their mouth. They may also complain of clicking or grating sounds in the joint and feel pain when opening and closing their mouth. What must be determined, of course, is the cause.

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Chewing Robot' could revolutionise dental research

A 'Chewing Robot' which mimics the human jaw and teeth could revolutionise dental research, it has emerged. Published: 7:00AM BST 30 Jun 2009 The mechanical mandible allows experts to study the wear-and-tear on dental fittings like crowns and bridges without using costly human subjects. Fittings are made from well-known metals, polymers and ceramics – but their dental wear properties are often poorly understood. Related Articles Lifecoach: coping with the shock of losing your job Gene found that makes tooth enamel could revolutionise dental care Chip is 400th the size of grain of salt Chocolate could fight tooth decay Robot mimics human action and plays rock-paper-scissors Clinical trials examining the toll taken on real human teeth are expensive and time-consuming. By the time a new material has been tested, it is often obsolete. This is where the Chewing Robot – created by the University of Bristol and the Department of Oral and Dental Science – comes in. The movements and ...

Do You Believe In 'Tooth Worms?' Micro-images Of Strange, Worm-like Structures Uncovered Inside Dissected Molar

ScienceDaily (July 28, 2009) — New, micro-images of strange, worm-like structures uncovered inside a dissected molar might have been held in ancient times as proof that gnawing tooth worms were the cause of tooth decay, a theory widely believed in many cultures before modern times. The structures are not worms, but what they are is still in question. Studies by University of Maryland Dental School researchers recently presented at the annual meeting of the Microscopy Society of America in Richmond revealed cylindrical objects extending or ‘growing’ out of the natural pores or tubules of teeth. Inside a human tooth, more than 50,000 such tubules per square millimeter act as channels running from the nerve up through the tooth. They are associated with transporting hot or cold sensitivity to the tooth nerve. [A human hair by comparison is 40 micrometers wide.] For years, scientists have debated the exact nature of the worm-like structures, which were photographed in clear detail by Ru-Ch...

"Researchers aim to give surgeons 3D maps, directions of human body"

Check out: "Researchers aim to give surgeons 3D maps, directions of human body" - www.engadget.com http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/28/researchers-aim-to-give-surgeons-3d-maps-directions-of-human-bo/?icid=engadget-iphone-url While a GPS-style "navigation system" for surgeons may not seem like the best idea to anyone that's ever been led astray by their dash-mounted co-pilot, it apparently seemed like a good enough idea for a group of researchers at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. While they do stretch the metaphor a bit, the group's TLEMsafe system does provide surgeons with a complete 3D map of the lower body, which can actually be personalized for each individual patient, giving surgeons a reference and means to practice before any actual surgery takes place -- and, yes, even an "automated navigation system" during surgery. Coincidentally, some researchers from the University of Colorado have also just announced that they've...

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