Stereolithography 3D printing of an accelerometer embedded nightguard for TMD monitoring (Invited Paper)

There are currently no effective take-home jaw motion tracking devices to monitor the symptoms in Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD). Existing methods consist of bulky lab equipment that lack a standard for TMD diagnosis. These devices are unable to provide critical data that occurs within a patient’s natural day-to-day life which can lead to inadequate management of TMD. This study presents the fabrication techniques explored to create a take-home wearable device capable of detecting jaw movements to aid in remote patient monitoring of TMD symptoms. The nightguard prototypes are 3D modeled using denture model STL files and printed in various dental and biomedical resins on a Form 3B+ stereolithography 3D printer by Formlabs. Embedded accelerometers are used to quantify jaw movements, and a CAD-modeled, 3D-printed denture model is used to simulate these movements. Extensive testing is conducted throughout the fabrication process to ensure accuracy and reliability. This proof-of-concept study aims to establish the feasibility of the device for future clinical trials, where AI integration for data analysis and further optimization of manufacturing methods will be explored to validate the device’s efficacy and user requirements. The potential impact of this device includes improved TMD management through continuous, at-home monitoring, leading to better patient outcomes. Future work will focus on refining the design and expanding the testing to a larger cohort to further validate the device’s performance and reliability.