Determining the accuracy of articulator interchangeability and hinge axis reproducibility

Area of Science:

• Dental Technology
• Prosthodontics
• Occlusion

Background:

• Articulators are assumed to be interchangeable for accurate dental laboratory remounting of casts.
• Clinicians need assurance of positional accuracy when transferring casts between articulators.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the positional accuracy of transferred dental casts between articulators.
• To determine the hinge axis reproducibility of tested articulator systems.

Main Methods:

• Compared occlusal contact areas of mounted casts transferred between like articulators (Whip Mix 3040, Girrbach Artex AL, KaVo Protar).
• Utilized vinyl polysiloxane interocclusal records and computerized image analysis for quantitative measurements.
• Assessed positional changes using a calibrated grid and Kruskal-Wallis statistical tests.

Main Results:

• No articulator system demonstrated exact duplication or interchangeability (P<.01).
• Whip Mix articulators showed greater deviation in hinge axis repeatability and interchangeability compared to KaVo.
• Girrbach Artex AL articulators exhibited the most consistent hinge axis repeatability and interchangeability.

Conclusions:

• The Artex brand provided superior consistency in reproducing dental cast positions compared to other tested articulators.
• Significant deviations exist between articulator systems, impacting positional accuracy.