Digital Determination and Recording of Edentulous Maxillomandibular Relationship Using a Jaw Movement Tracking System

Area of Science:

• Dental prosthetics
• Biomedical engineering
• Digital dentistry

Background:

• Establishing the maxillomandibular relationship is crucial for complete denture fabrication in edentulous patients.
• Conventional methods can be time-consuming and lack precision.
• Digital technologies offer potential for more accurate and efficient recording of jaw relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a direct digital method for recording the edentulous maxillomandibular relationship.
• To assess the accuracy of a custom-made jaw movement tracking system for this purpose.

Main Methods:

• A novel jaw tracking system recorded habitual jaw movements and mandibular rest position (MRP) in 10 edentulous patients.
• 3D surface scanning of impressions and facial structures in MRP was performed.
• Data were registered, and a digital maxillomandibular relationship was constructed based on trajectory analysis.

Main Results:

• The digital method established a repeatable jaw movement trajectory.
• Significant 3D deviations of the mandibular arch were observed in the test group compared to the control group (0.76-1.35 mm).

Conclusions:

• A digital method for determining edentulous maxillomandibular relationships was successfully established using an in-house jaw tracking system.
• Further improvements in accuracy are necessary for widespread clinical adoption.