Effect of pre-stress on the dynamic tensile behavior of the TMJ disc

Previous dynamic analyses of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc have not included a true preload, i.e., a step stress or strain beyond the initial tare load. However, due to the highly nonlinear stress-strain response of the TMJ disc, we hypothesized that the dynamic mechanical properties would greatly depend on the preload, which could then, in part, account for the large variation in the tensile stiffnesses reported for the TMJ disc in the literature. This study is the first to report the dynamic mechanical properties as a function of prestress. As hypothesized, the storage modulus (E′) of the disc varied by a factor of 25 in the mediolateral direction and a factor of 200 in the anteroposterior direction, depending on the prestress. Multiple constant strain rate sweeps were extracted and superimposed via strain-rate frequency superposition (SRFS), which demonstrated that the strain rate amplitude and strain rate were both important factors in determining the TMJ disc material properties, which is an effect not typically seen with synthetic materials. The presented analysis demonstrated, for the first time, the applicability of viscoelastic models, previously applied to synthetic polymer materials, to a complex hierarchical biomaterial such as the TMJ disc, providing a uniquely comprehensive way to capture the viscoelastic response of biological materials. Finally, we emphasize that the use of a preload, preferably which falls within the linear region of the stress-strain curve, is critical to provide reproducible results for tensile analysis of musculoskeletal tissues. Therefore, we recommend that future dynamic mechanical analyses of the TMJ disc be performed at a controlled prestress corresponding to a strain range of 5–10%.