At the onset of clenching (time = 0 s), the highest von Mises stresses were located in the middle and posterior areas (6.18 MPa) of the inferior disc surface facing the condylar cartilage. The largest magnitude of the minimum principal stress (−6.72 MPa) was found in the condylar cartilage. The stress concentrations were relieved towards the superior disc surface facing the temporal cartilage. On the surfaces of the temporal cartilage, relatively lower stresses were found. After 5-min clenching, both stress values induced in the TMJ components were reduced to 50–80% of the stress values at the onset of clenching, although the concomitant strains increased slightly during this period.