3. Learning outcomes
1. Define an articulator.
2. List the uses and
requirements of articulators.
3. Explain the different types of
articulators and facebows.
4. Compare arcon and non
arcon articulators.
4. ARTICULATOR
A mechanical instrument that
represents the temporomandibular
joints and jaws, to which maxillary and
mandibular casts may be attached to
simulate some or all mandibular
movements.
6. The articulator helps to maintain the
desired maxillomandibular
relationship of the casts during tooth
arrangement. Thus, it makes it
possible to arrange teeth in the
absence of the patient.
7. Uses of an Articulator
1. Mounting dental casts for
diagnosis, treatment planning and
patient presentation.
8. 2. Arrangement of artificial teeth for
complete and removable partial
dentures.
9. 3. Wax-up and refining the occlusion
for dental restorations.
10. 4. Articulators can be helpful in
studying of occlusion and
mandibular movements.
11. 5. To aid in fabrication of dental
restorations and lost dental parts.
12. Requirements of an
Articulator
The articulator should have the
following minimal requirements:
1. It should hold the casts in the correct
horizontal relationship and vertical
relationship.
2. It should provide positive anterior
vertical stop (the incisal pin).
13.
14. 3. It should accept a face bow
record.
4. It should open and close in a
hinge movement.
15. 5. The moving parts should move
freely and be machined accurately.
6. The non-moving parts should be
of rigid construction.
7. It should allow protrusive and
lateral jaw motion.
16. Classification of articulators
Class I Articulators
(Non-adjustable articulators)
Class II Articulators
(Average-value articulators)
Class III Articulators
(Semi-adjustable articulators)
Class IV Articulators
(Fully-adjustable articulators)
21. Instrument that permit
horizontal as well as vertical
motion but do not orient the
motion to the
temporomandibular joints via a
face-bow transfer.
22. It allows limited range of
protrusive and lateral movements
It has fixed horizontal condylar
guidance of 30 degrees.
It has fixed incisal guidance.
It has fixed inter-condylar
distance.
23. Bonwill triangle [William Gibson
Arlington Bonwill, American dentist,
1833-1899]:
eponym for a 4 inch equilateral
triangle bounded by lines connecting
the contact points of the mandibular
central incisor’s incisal edge (or the
mid-line of the mandibular residual
ridge) to each condyle (usually its mid
point) and from one condyle to the
other.
29. An instrument that simulates
condylar pathways by using
averages or mechanical equivalents
for all or part of the motion;
may be arcon or nonarcon
instruments.
31. Arcon articulator: This
instrument maintains anatomic
guidelines by the use of condylar
analogs in the mandibular element
and fossae assemblies within the
maxillary element.
33. The Condylar element / analog /
sphere attached to – Lower
Member
The Condylar guidance / Fossae
assemblies (~Glenoid Fossa)
attached to – Upper Member
34. Nonarcon articulator or
condylar articulators: an
articulator whose condylar path
components are part of the lower
member and whose condylar replica
components are part of the upper
member.
36. This articulator is the reverse of
the TMJ
The Condylar Element / analog /
sphere attached to – Upper
Member
The Condylar Guidance / track/
Fossae assemblies (~Glenoid
Fossa) attached to – Lower
Member
37.
38. Semi adjustable articulators are
designed to be adjusted so that
the articulator movements will
simulate the jaw movements of
the patient.
39. The condyle travels a curved path in
mandibular movements.
This is reproduced in semi-adjustable
articulators as a straight path.
40. They have adjustable horizontal
condylar guides.
41. This type of articulator can accept the
following records:
1. Face bow (arbitrary) record to mount
the upper cast.
2. Centric relation record to mount the
lower cast.
3. Protrusive record, to adjust the
articulator's horizontal guidance, that
correspond to the patient's horizontal
condylar path inclination.
48. The lateral condylar guidance is
adjusted according to the Hanau's
formula:
L = H/8+12
L: The lateral condylar inclination.
H: The horizontal condylar
inclination.
52. Fully adjustable articulators have a
complex condylar mechanism which
is adjustable in horizontal, sagittal
and frontal planes to replicate three
dimensional movement of
mandibular motion.
53. Simulate mandibular movements
with high degree of accuracy.
Used for complex fixed partial
denture construction, treating TMJ
problems and full mouth
reconstruction.
All are arcon instruments
Egs: Stuart articulator, Denar D4A
articulator
54.
55.
56. This type of articulator can accept the
following records:
1. Face bow (Kinematic face bow)
record to mount the upper cast.
57. 2. Centric relation record to mount the
lower cast.
3. Protrusive record, to adjust the
articulator's horizontal guidance, that
correspond to the patient's horizontal
condylar path inclination.
58. 4. Right and left relation records, to
adjust Bennett angle.
5. They have an adjustable
intercondylar distance.
62. BASIC PARTS OF A
HANAU ARTICULATOR
Upper member - Represents
the Maxilla
Lower member - Represents
the Mandible
Condylar Track - Represents
the Glenoid Fossa
Condylar Element - Represents
the Condyle
Vertical Rod (Incisal Pin)
Incisal guide table
Orbitale indicator (for face bow
63. Condylar guidance
Upper member
Mounting plate
Incisal pin
(Vertical rod)
Incisal guide
tableLower member
Condylar element
Mounting plate
NON-ARCON HANAU ARTICULATOR
67. The maxillary cast is oriented to the
upper member which represents the
maxilla by a face-bow record.
68. The mandibular cast is oriented to the
lower member which represents the
mandible by a relating the lower cast
to the upper cast through a centric
interocclusal record.
69. Adjustable Horizontal Condylar
Guidance (-20 degrees to +60
degrees)
It is adjusted by a protrusive record.
70. Adjustable Bennett angle or lateral
condylar guidance (0 degrees to 30
degrees)
Bennett angle (L) = H/8+12
82. Conventional face bow Ear piece face bow
Semi-adjustable articulators
Kinematic face bow -
Fully adjustable
articulators
83. ADVANTAGES OF THE FACE
BOW
Reduces errors in occlusion.
Permits more accurate
programming of the articulator.
Supports the maxillary cast while
transferring on the articulator.
