顎関節の潤滑機能

As the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) enables large relative movements, joint lubrication can be considered of great importance for an understanding of the dynamics of the TMJ. The tribological characteristics of the TMJ are essential for reconstruction and tissue engineering of the joint as the treatment remedy of the TMJ disorders. The purpose of this review is to provide a summary of advances relevant to the tribological characteristics of the TMJ. This review consists of 3 parts. Part I is the description of the definition of the joint lubrication. In Part 2, a brief anatomy and function of the TMJ articular components are described. Finally, Part 3 includes the articular surface topology with microscopic surface roughness and the biomechanical loading during jaw movements.