Articulator-related registration--a simple concept for minimizing eccentric occlusal errors in the articulator

Area of Science:

• Dental Mechanics
• Biomechanical Engineering
• Prosthodontics

Background:

• Traditional dental registration methods for simulating jaw motion can be complex and require numerous individual parameters.
• Accurate transfer of articulator geometry to the patient is crucial for effective prosthodontic treatment.
• Existing instrumental registration techniques are often sophisticated and may present challenges in ease of use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an easy-to-use procedure for individual dental registration.
• To test the accuracy of a novel method based on transferring articulator geometry to the patient.
• To simplify the imitation of jaw motion by reducing the number of required individual parameters.

Main Methods:

• Developed a system involving an articulator with a bite plate connected to an electronic recording system.
• Virtually transferred the articulator's condylar points to the patient's mandible using a centric relation record.
• Recorded trajectories during mandibular movements to measure sagittal condylar and Bennett angles, validated against preset values.

Main Results:

• Mean deviations for measured condylar angles ranged from 0 to 1.5 degrees.
• Mean deviations for measured Bennett angles ranged from -0.5 to -1.3 degrees.
• The accuracy of the measured angles was confirmed through mechanical testing against preset values.

Conclusions:

• Transferring articulator geometry to the patient simplifies registration and cast transfer by reducing necessary parameters.
• The method accurately records essential parameters for imitating jaw motion, specifically condylar and Bennett angles.
• This technique presents a viable and accurate alternative to complex traditional instrumental registration methods.