A device for occlusal plane determination

The correct orientation of the occlusal plane is the first and one of the important steps while recording jaw relationships in an edentulous patient. One of the most popular methods is to orient the occlusal plane to interpupillary line anteriorly and ala-tragus lines posteriorly which is usually accomplished by repetitive adjustment of the maxillary rim until a hand-held Fox's plane appears to be parallel to these lines. However, this process is time-consuming and error-prone. The eventual plane is almost always an educated guess, and this can be difficult for a new student. The device presented in this article marks the occlusal plane on wax rims parallel to interpupillary line anteriorly and the ala-tragus lines posteriorly, and thus, occlusal plane can be oriented in one simple step, thereby saving time and increasing efficiency of the operator.