PLATFORM:
Rhino 3D, Blender
TIMEFRAME:
16 Weeks, Jan - May
YEAR:
2025
MY ROLE:
Researcher, Concept Development
AMICO
TMJD Data at a Moment’s Notice
introduction.
I struggle with Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, also known as TMD. When I was 18 years old, my jaw popped out of place while I was eating dinner one evening, and from that point on, for the next two years, I was in continuous pain. I was in and out of a dozen different doctors' offices, and nobody could give a straight answer. My father also has TMD, which presented in the last year. This project stems from my experience, but also from the difficulty of watching a parent go through chronic pain.
challenge.
Many patients suffering from TMD feel unseen and show a diminished quality of life due to increased pain and the inability to eat or sleep. Symptoms can vary, and treatment options are limited. In the case of general physicians, diagnosing and creating a treatment plan for TMD is very difficult and can take time, compounding symptoms, and leaving many patients on their own.
results.
TMD is about managing the triggers of pain. Temporalis is a good predictor of TMJ use in patients because it’s involved in a large majority of TMJ movements, making it easily susceptible to overuse and inflammation. If the disc is given enough time to heal and scar, it can act as a pseudo-disc. This is only possible if behavior is changed and the joint is allowed enough time to heal. The device records muscle activation through Surface Electromyography, which measures the action potential of muscle fibers and the neural drive to the muscle through skin contact of a silver chloride electrode. This data is then recorded and analyzed by a smart device, giving the user real-time feedback of heavy usage throughout the day to minimize TMJ usage and help patients deduce potential triggers of pain and change behavior in real time through alerts from a smart device.
conclusion.
In conclusion, this project made me want to pursue the medical design field. Everyone I worked with on this project was extremely generous with their time and knowledge. I am glad I chose to pursue TMD, it's very personal to me and my family, and because of that pushed to create something I am proud of.
