Chandrasekharan Nair K¹*, Pradeep C Dathan², Hemalatha Konka³, Viswanath Gurumuthy⁴ and T Mohan Kumar⁵

¹Professor Emeritus, Department of Prosthodontics, Sri Sankara Dental College,
Akathumuri, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
²Professor and Head of the Department of Prosthodontics, Sri Sankara Dental
College, Akathumuri, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
³Registrar Prosthodontist, Al Harkan Dental Hospital, Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia
⁴Associate Professor, Department of Dental Technology, College of Applied Medical
Sciences, King Khalid University, KSA
⁵Director, Centre for Temporomandibular Disorders, Kunnukuzhi, Trivandrum,
Kerala, India

*Corresponding Author: Chandrasekharan Nair K, Professor Emeritus, Department of Prosthodontics, Sri Sankara Dental College, Akathumuri, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.

Received: March 09, 2026; Published: March 31, 2026

Abstract

Human temporomandibular joint has complex kinematic capabilities. It is a diarthrodial joint capable of rotating along multiple axes and also can translate. The movements are limited by muscles, ligaments and tooth contact. The articular disc present inside the joint divides the joint space into cranial disco temporal joint and the caudally placed disco mandibular joint. Translation occurs in the former and rotation occurs in the latter. Understanding of the movements of the TMJ has led to the designing of articulators and fabrication of prostheses. This review has included details of the anatomic structure of TMJ and the sophistication of the functional movements. Findings of the recent research are also included.

Keywords: Rotation; Translation; Movement Planes; Border Movements; Envelope of Movements; Articulators

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Citation

Citation: Chandrasekharan Nair K., et al. “Mandibular Movements – A Narrative Review". Acta Scientific Dental Sciences 10.4 (2026): 26-33.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2026 Chandrasekharan Nair K., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.