[Use of the facial arch: a case for a specialist?]

Ideally, an articulator should reproduce exactly mandibular movements. Therefore, several parameters have to be registered and the first of them is the relationship between the dental arches and the hinge axis. This can be obtained with the face bow and enhances significantly the precision of the movement simulation. The use of a semi-adaptable articulator with an arbitrary hinge axis face bow allows to realise, through rather simple manipulations, nearly all prosthetic works with enough precision. Practitioners ought to use currently this equipment but it is not necessary in simple cases. Description is given of two semi-adaptable articulators offering various possibilities in their use: the CONDYLATOR and the SAM 2.