MANDIBULAR

MOVEMENTS

THE MASTICATORY
COMPLEX
The masticatory system consists of mandible which is able to
move in relationship to the skull and is guided by two
temporomandibular joints through contractions of the
masticatory muscles.

THE MASTICATORY
COMPLEX
We are dealing with a dynamic system here; and since
the functions of mastication, deglutition, speech,
respiration and postural maintenance depend in a large
measure on the movement of the mandible and its
relationship to the stable cranial and facial base,
knowledge of the working of the TMJ is important.

COMPONENTS OF THE
MASTICATORY COMPLEX

SKELETAL MAXILLA, MANDIBLE, TEMPORAL

BONE.
TMJ
MUSCLES
TEETH WITHIN THEIR ALVEOLAR HOUSING

ANATOMICAL DESCRIPTION
OF THE TMJ
BILATERAL
DIARTHROIDAL
GINGLYMOID
SYNOVIAL
FREELY MOVABLE
COMPOUND
NON WEIGHT BEARING

As the structure primarily responsible or mandibular movemets,

the TMJ is formed by the mandibular condyle fitting into the
mandibular fossa of the temporal bone; separating these two
bones from direct articulation is the articular disc.

JOINT COMPONENTS
OSSEOUS

1. Condylar
process
2. Temporal
articular
surface

SOFT TISSUE

1. Articular disc
2. Capsule
3. Synovial
membrane
4. Muscles
5. Ligaments
Functional,
accessory.

superior
retrodiscal
lamina

superior
joint
cavity

articular
surface

anterior
capsular
ligament

inferior
joint
cavity

superior
lateral
pterygoid
muscle

retrodiscal
tissue
inferior
retrodiscal
lamina

inferior
lateral
pterygoid
muscles
anterior
capsular
ligament

35

Posterior - retrodiscal tissue

ATTACHMENTS
Superior retrodiscal lamina
OF THE
Inferior retrodiscal lamina
ARTICULAR
Venous plexus
Capsular ligaments - superior & inferiorDISC
Superior lateral pterygoid muscle

capsular ligament

IHP
OOP

Temporomandibular ligament

ACCESSORY LIGAMENTS
Stylomandibular

Sphenomandibular

BIOMECHANICS OF
TMJ AND JAW
MOVEMENTS

KEY TERMS
MANDIBULAR TRANSLATION The mediolateral
movement of the mandible when viewed in the
frontal plane
ECCENTRIC any position of the mandible other
than normal position
BORDER MOVEMENT Mandibular movements at
the limits dictated by anatomic structures, as
viewed in a given plane
LATEROTRUSION condylar movement on the
working side in the horizontal plane. This term can
be used in combination with terms describing
condylar movement in other planes. Eg:
Laterodetrusion, Laterosurtrusion, Lateroretrusion

KEY TERMS
INCISAL GUIDE ANGLE Angle formed in the horizontal
plane by drawing a line in the sagittal plane between
the incisal edges of the maxillary and mandibular
central insicors when teeth are in centric occlusion.
SAGITTAL AXIS The anteroposterior axis is an
imaginary axis running along the midsagittal plane
VERTICAL AXIS Runs through the condyle and
posterior border of the ramus of the mandible
TRANSVERSE OR HINGE AXIS Runs horizontally from
right side of mandible to the left side.
BENNETT (PROGRESSIVE) SIDE SHIFT Lateral
translation that continues linearly after 2-3 mm of
forward movement of the nonworking condyle.

KEY TERMS
BENNETT ANGLE Angle formed between the sagittal plane
and the average path of the advancing condyle as viewed in
the horizontal plane during lateral mandibular movements.
FISCHER ANGLE Formed by the intersection of the protrusive
and nonworking condylar paths as viewed in the sagittal
plane
PANTOGRAPH an instrument used to graphically record in
one or more planes, paths of mandibular movements and to
provide information for the programming of an articulator
CONDYLAR GUIDANCE the mandibular guidance generated
by the condyle and articular disc traversing the contour of the
glenoid fossa.
INCISAL GUIDANCE the influence of the contacting surfaces
of the mandibular and maxillary anterior teeth during
mandibular movements

DETERMINANTS OF JAW
MOVEMENTS
ACTIVE ELEMENTS
PASSIVE STRUCTURE AND ELEMENTS

MUSCLES IN ACTION
The active muscles are the prime movers of the
masticatory system.
The contribution of a muscle to jaw movements can be
established by the direction of its line of action and the
position of this line with respect to the center of
gravity(rotation) of the lower jaw.

MUSCLES IN ACTION
Jaw movements are performed through co-contraction of
various muscles.

Muscular heterogenity

ACTIVITY OF VARIOUS JAW

MUSCLES IN MANDIBULAR
MOVEMENT
SUPERIOR HEAD OF LATERAL PTERYGOID

1.Clenching in retruded contact

2.Ipsilateral movement

INFERIOR HEAD OF LATERAL PTERYGOID

1.Protrusion
2.Opening
3.Contralateral positioning

TEMPORAL MUSCLES

1.
2.
3.
4.

Anterior fibers elevation

Clenching
Retrusion
Ipsilateral positioning

MASSETER AND MEDIAL PTERYGOID

1.

Strong elevators during clenching in the intercuspal

position

2.

Assist in protrusion

3.

Medial pterygoid is active in lateral movements until

extreme ipsilateral position.

PASSIVE STRUCTURES
- Articular surfaces of the temporomandibular joint
and their inertia.
- Articular capsule and ligaments
- Teeth
PASSIVE ELEMENTS
- Jaws intertial forces,
- muscle fiber strtch tensions,
- damping forces,
- gravity(9800mm/second square) perpendicular to
the occlusal plane,
- reaction forces at the joints,
- bite points and bolus (consistency especially).

PASSIVE ELEMENTS
Passive structures and elements contribute to jaw
motion because they have the ability to resist
movements along one or more planes.
For example the teeth and food influence jaw
movements due to the reaction forces occurring
when the opposing teeth come into contact.
Through the interplay of muscle and joint forces,
the reaction forces will be predominantly directed
downward and cause an opening torque along the
center of gravity of the mandible

MOVEMENTS OF THE TMJ

Translational Upper joint compartment

Rotational Lower joint compartment

DEGREES OF FREEDOM
In three dimensional space, a body able to move
freely may perform translations and rotations.
This applies to the lower jaw too, although the
degree of movement limited.
Translations can be performed along and
rotations about three independent axes. Hence
the TM joint movement is said to have SIX
DEGREES of freedom.

THREE PRINCIPAL AXES

ANTEROPOSTERIOR
Sagittal
MEDIOLATERAL
Horizontal
SUPEROINFERIOR
Vertical

TRANSLATION
Translation of the mandible can be
described along three axes
1. anteroposterior translation or movement
about the sagittal axis in the coronal plane
2. superoinferior about the horizontal axis
in the sagittal plane
3. mediolateral about the vertical axis in
the forntal plane

PRINCIPAL AXES

ROTATION
Azimuth about the vertical axis Z
Elevation- about the horizontal axis Y
Roll, pitch about the anteroposterior axis X

AZIMUTH ABOUT Z AXIS

SUPEROINFERIOR Y AXIS

ROLL OR PITCH ABOUT X

POSSELTS ENVELOPE

POSSELTS INVESTIGATIONS
GNATHO-THESIOMETER

POSSELTS ENVELOPE
Recorded the habitual and extreme positions
of the opposing teeth in occlusion
Record of border movements along all three
planes i.e. sagittal, frontal, horizontal planes
The range of motion of the TMJ may or may
not include the border positions

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF

RECORDING BORDER
MOVEMENTS
Border movements are constant enough in position,
direction, and path as to be dependable and repeatable.
When the true boundary movements are recorded and
transferred, all other movements are automatically included
in the circumscribed areas of movement.

Posselts Figure
ICP

MP

RCP

HA

MP = Maximal protrusion
ICP = Intercuspal position
RCP= Retruded Contact position
HA = Hinge axis
MO = Maximum opening

MO

MOVEMENTS
ALONG
ALL
THREE PLANES

MOVEMENTS ABOUT THE

HORIZONTAL AXIS (IN SAGITTAL
PLANE)
Opening

Closing

MUSCLES INVOLVDED
2 PAIRS OF DEPRESSORS

3 PAIRS OF ELEVATORS

TERMINAL HINGE POSITION

AND AXIS

 The terminal hinge position is the most retruded hinge

position of the condyles and coincides with CR ( falls along
the same plane)

The axis is an imaginary axis around which the condyles can

rotate without translation ( 12 15 degrees)

STAGE II TRANSLATION

STAGE I HINGE OPENING

OPENING MOVEMENT
The act of mandibular depression is brought about
by the bilateral, simultaneous contraction of the
lateral pterygoids (condyle-disc assembly) and the
suprahyoid musculature (lower border and lingual
surface of the mandible)
The opening movement of the mandible up to the
terminal hinge point is purely brought about by
the rotation of the condyle in the lower joint
compartment (hinge-like)
Maximum hinge opening interincisal distance =
25 mm approx
After which the condyle translates to maximal
opening

Inferiorjoint
cavity
?

Opening
During
opening,SLP
isnot
contracting

Atmaximum
opening,
SRDLis
tight

ILPis
contracting
pullsheadof
condyle
forward

END OF OPENING AND

BEGINNING OF CLOSURE

The force length relationship in muscle

contraction quantifies the property that
enables a muscle to produce a force when
its sarcomeres are not excessively
shortened or stretched; thus limiting
contraction.
Application to jaw movement the limited
amount of maximum shortening of fibers o
the lateral pterygoid muscle prevents
protrusion of the disc beyond limits

 The passive forces of

the jaw-closing
muscles are believed
to decelerate the jaw
at the end of opening
and become
significant near
maximum opening
thereby initiating the
act of closure

Closing

SLP
contracts

ILPrelaxes
SRDLrelaxes

POINTS TO REMEMEMBER
The opening and closure movements fall along
the border of Posselts envelope along the
sagittal plane.

ALONG SAGITTAL
PLANE

OPENING

CLOSING

POINTS TO REMEMBER
The path of closure lies anterior to the opening
path along the border movements.
Hence closure ends with a retrusive movement of
the condyle brought about by the contraction of
lat pterygoid (superior head)
This negotiates the articular eminence and
repositions the condyle at the starting point,
namely CR
The active tensions of the jaw closing muscles
produce strains defined as maximum bite force.

MOVEMENTS ABOUT THE

SAGITTAL AXIS
ANTEROPOSTERIOR MOVEMENTS, BY AND LARGE

PROTRUSION

ALONG WITH A LATERAL COMPONENT

BORDER MOVEMENTS ALONG

THE HORIZONTAL PLANE

START AT CENTRIC
RELATION POSITION

LEFT LATERALOTRUSIVE

TO MAXIMUM PROTRUSION

BACK TO CR

RIGHT LATEROTRUSIVE

TO MAXIMUM PROTRUSION

GOTHIC ARCH TRACING

POINTS TO
REMEMBER
Events in mandibular lateral movement

MUSCLES INVOLVED
Lateral pterygoid

Medial pterygoid

Plus stabilizers

LATERAL MOVEMENT
WORKING SIDE

NONWORKING SIDE

Similarly condyles
WORKING CONDYLE The movement in which
is predominantly a lateral rotation but takes
place in the upper joint compartment
ORBITING CONDYLE lateral translatory
movement along with a protrusive component
most of the times

 During lateral movements of the mandible, the rotating

condyle usually slides straight laterally, average being 0.75
mm.

The orbiting condyle will follow one of four possible

pathways during lateral movement.

TYPES OF SIDE SHIFT

STRAIGHT PROTRUSION Path just medial

to straight protrusion, no lateral shift. (1)

With side shift

component
Progressive - Bennett(2)
Precurrent (3)

1.
2.

PROGRESSIVE lateral shift distributed

throughout the range of motion
PRECURRENT shift occurs in the first 23 mm of forward movement
IMMEDIATE SIDE SHIFT Occurs before
any forward movement of the orbiting

LATERAL CONDYLAR ANGLE

BENNETT ANGLE

Angle formed by the sagittal plane and the path of the

advancing condyle during lateral mandibular movements as
viewed in horizontal plane

BENNETT MOVEMENT
Is the lateral shift of the working condyle
along the terminal hinge axis (transverse
horizontal axis)

1.

MEASUREMENTS
BENNETT ANGLE = 7.5 12.8 degrees

2. MAXIMUM LATERAL SHIFT = 10 12 mm

3. BENNETT ANGLE (L) = H/8+12

BORDER MOVEMENTS
ABOUT VERTICAL AXIS
LATERODETRUSIVE

Predominant downward component.

Shield tracing.

SUPERIOR BORDER
MOVEMENT
FROM CENTRIC TO MAXIMUM PROTRUSION

Posselts Figure top edge

MP
ICP
IG
RCP
EE

WHAT ARE THE POINTS

THAT YOU SEE
Starts with retruded contact position
To MAXIMUM INTERCUSPATION
EDGE BITE
MAXIMUM PROTRUSION 8 10 mm

GUIDED BY THE
A)

CONDYLE posterior

determinant.

B) INCISORS anterior
determinant.

 CONDYLAR GUIDANCE the mandibular

guidance generated by the condyle and
articular disc traversing the contour of the
glenoid fossa.
INCISAL GUIDANCE the influence of the
contacting surfaces of the mandibular and
maxillary anterior teeth during mandibular
movements
HORIZONTAL CONDYLAR ANGLE Slope of
the articular eminence 30 degrees.

FROM CR TO CO

From above below

1. CR = CO
2. CO anterior to CR
3. LONG CENTRIC i.e
teeth fossae are
altered to allow
freedom of movement
between points 1 and
2 in an AP direction

INSTRUMENT FOR
RECORDING BORDER
MOVEMENTS
Pantograph first used by
Mc Collum in 1920

NON BORDER
MOVEMENTS

PHYSIOLOGIC REST
POSITION
LOCATION OF THE REST POSITION WITHIN
THE ENVELOPE SAGITTAL AND FRONTAL
PLANES

FROM REST POSITION TO MAXIMUM

INTERCUSPATION AND OPENING

INFLUENCE OF HEAD
POSITION ON OPENING

CHEWING CYCLE
Preparatory phase
Crushing phase
Phase of tooth contact
Grinding phase
Centric occlusion

FRONTAL VIEW

VIEWED ALONG THE

SAGITTAL PLANE

FACTORS INFLUENCING
THE UNIFORMITY OF
CHEWING STROKES
1.
2.
3.
4.

GOOD OCCLUSION
CONSISTENSY OF BOLUS
BRUXISM
MALOCCLUSION

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE UNIFORMITY

OF THE CHEWING CYCLE

THE CHEWING STROKES

Chewing movements of the mandible lie well within the
border movements

The opening strokes were anterior and medial to closing

strokes.

Analysis of the kinematic center Condylar reference

point during opening and closing movements

ANALYSIS
In general, the movements of the dental arches are
under strong neuromuscular control

Whereas the movements of the condylar kinematic

centers during chewing are mainly guided by the shape
of the articular eminence.

COINCIDENT OR NON
COINCIDENT
NON COINCIDENT
UNLOADED

COINCIDENT
LOADED

ANALYSIS
Normally during free, unloaded opening and closing
movements, the closing traces of the condylar
kinematic center lie below the opening traces.
However, when the joint is loaded during closingfor instance, by a manually applied counteracting
force on the chin-the condyle is pressed against the
articular eminences or a food bolus; its closing
movement traces will shift upward and coincide
with the opening traces.
Thus, coincident condylar movement traces
indicate compression in the joint during closing,
whereas non-coincident chewing traces indicate no
or only slight compression.

PARAFUNCTIONAL
MOVEMENTS
Clenching, bruxism and other habitual movements

Non productive, unnecessary

CONCLUSION
A thorough knowledge of the various movements of the
mandible is essential before recording the jaw relation.
The complete denture fabricated for each patient should
function in harmony with the functional mandibular
movements and the structure and function of the
Temporomandibular joint should be studied.

REFERENCES
SYLLABUS OF COMPLETE DENTURES
Heartwell
PROSTHODONTIC TREATMENT OF
EDENTULOUS PATIENTS Zarb
Bolender
MANAGEMENT OF TEMPOROMANDIBULAR
DISORDERS AND OCCLUSION
Jeffrey.P.Okeson
JPD Vol:51 691-702, 1984
JDR Vol: 82, 528-531, 2003
Oral Bio Med Vol:13, 366-376 2002

THANK YOU