Hannah Uebele
Pronouns: she/her
Research Mentor(s): Yuji Mishina
Co-Presenter:
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Biological and Material Sciences / Dentistry
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 4 – 2:40pm – 3:30 pm
Room: League Ballroom
Authors: Hannah Uebele, Honghao Zhang, Yuji Mishina
Presenter: 38
Abstract
Disorders involving the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), called temporomandibular disorders (TMD), cause pain in nearby tissue and difficulty moving the jaw. The underlying causes of TMD are unknown, therefore current approaches aim to characterize the etiology and pathophysiology of TMD through investigation of structure, function, and pain. The purpose of this project is to examine the relationship between the structure of the TMJ and the function of jaw movement. Mutations associated with Ellis-van Creveld (EvC) syndrome cause skeletal and dental defects, including abnormal TMJ structure. Evc2 mutations in mice provide a useful model to reveal relationships between abnormal movement associated with TMD and abnormal TMJ structure. Generation and characterization of Evc2 mutant mice identified improperly developed condyles in the TMJ. The mastication patterns of Evc2 mutant mice have been analyzed using an X-ray reconstruction of moving morphology (XROMM). XROMM analysis traces mouse jaw landmarks during mastication and allows for comparisons of movement and speed patterns between mutant and control mice. Deviation from control mastication patterns is expected to correlate with the severity of TMJ structural abnormality. The goal of this project is to implicate relationships, if present, between abnormal TMJ shape and abnormal mastication patterns through analysis of XROMM data to provide evidence of an association between TMD and abnormal TMJ structure. This information will be used to inform future studies regarding TMD treatment.
Interdisciplinary, Natural/Life Sciences, Natural/Life Sciences
