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Dental instruments designed to simulate the movement of the upper and lower jaw (i.e., the movement of the mandibular arch in relation to the maxillary arch); maxillary and mandibular casts are usually attached to the articulator. These articulators typically include two hinge-jointed arms; each arm has segments connected to a hinge joint with mating elements, one integral to each segment of an arm. The articulator elements determine the degree and limit of articulator movement, as well as the capability of the articulator to closely simulate the movement of the mandible. Dental articulator characteristics, such as horizontal axis of rotation, condylar inclination, intercondylar distance, adjustability of the angle and side-shift movement (Bennett angle and movement, respectively), and incisal guidance, determine the degree of simulation of mandibular dynamics. Dental articulators are available as nonadjustable articulators (Class I, limited to hinge opening and closing arcs about a fixed axis, or Class II, capable of lateral movement), semiadjustable articulators (which can simulate lateral, protrusive, and Bennett movement), and fully adjustable articulators intended to simulate all movements of the mandible. Dental articulators are used for dental restorative procedures, modeling and diagnosis, determining the position of an artificial dental prosthesis to obtain the best placement, occlusion, and articulation during the restorative procedure; the class of articulator used in each procedure is chosen according to the characteristics of the procedure/prosthesis to be modeled (e.g., placement of partial and complete dentures or individual crowns, diagnosis of temporomandibular joint dysfunction).
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