Currently available jaw motion tracking methods require large accessories mounted on a patient and are utilized in controlled environments, for short-time examinations only. In some cases, especially in the evaluation of bruxism, a non-restrictive, 24-h jaw tracking method is needed. Bruxism oriented, electromyography (EMG)-based devices and sensor-enhanced occlusal splints are able to continuously detect masticatory activity but are uninformative in regards to movement trajectories and kinematics. This study explores a possibility to use a permanent magnet and a 3-axial magnetometer to track the mandible's spatial position in relation to the maxilla. An algorithm for determining the sensor's coordinates from magnetic field values was developed, and it was verified via analytical and finite element modeling and by using a 3D positioning system. Coordinates of the cubic test trajectory (a = 10 mm) were determined with root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.328±0.005 mm. Possibility for teeth impact detection by accelerometry was verified. Test on a 6 degrees-of-freedom (DOF), hexapod-based jaw motion simulator moving at natural speed confirmed the system's ability to simultaneously detect jaw position and the impacts of teeth. Small size of MEMS sensors is suitable for a wearable intra-oral system that could allow visualization of continuous jaw movement in 3D models and could enable new research on parafunctional jaw activities.
Keywords: 3D jaw tracker; bruxism evaluation; mastication; trajectory.