Is a 3D representation of muscle architecture needed to model craniomaxillofacial skeletal mechanics?

The craniomaxillofacial skeleton (CMFS) is sensitive to the direction and magnitude of loading, making experimental testing challenging due to the complex network of musculature and thin bone. Finite element (FE) models have been used to characterize their mechanical behavior, often utilizing link elements to simulate muscles. Utilizing multimodal imaging, a specimen-specific CMFS FE model incorporating 3D masseter geometry and fiber directions was developed. 3D representation of the masseters resulted in lower peak intensity and smoother strain distribution in the zygomatic region, suggesting link muscle modeling may not sufficiently capture complex load transfer from muscle to bone in CMFS FE models.