The document provides an extensive overview of dental articulators, detailing their definitions, purposes, parts, limitations, classifications, and uses in dentistry. It discusses different theories of occlusion, requirements for effective articulators, and the distinctions among non-adjustable, semi-adjustable, and fully-adjustable articulators. Additionally, it emphasizes the significance of articulators in diagnosing, planning, and fabricating dental restorations and prosthetics.

2. ARTICULATORS

3. Definition and purpose of articulator
-Presented by
Neethu Wilson

4. Definition

5. Purpose of an Articulator
 To hold maxillary and mandibular casts in a determined fixed
relationships.
 To stimulate the jaw movements like opening and closing.
 To produce border movements(extreme lateral and
protrusive movements) and intra border movements(within
the border movement)of teeth similar to those in the
mouth.

6.  Mounting of dental casts for diagnosis , treatment , planning
and patient presentation.
 Fabrication of occlusal surfaces for dental restoration.
 Arrangement of artificial teeth for complete and removable
partial dentures.

7. Parts of articulators
Presented by: Nikita tanwar

8. Parts of an articulator
• Upper member
• Lower member
• Incisal guide table
• Condylar guidance
• Incisal pin

10. Upper member
• It is a triangular frame with the base of the triangle
placed posteriorly.
• The apex of triangle contains a provision to
accommodate the incisal pin.
• Two condylar elements are seen projecting on either
side of the base of triangle.
• They articulate with the condylar guidance of the
lower member.
• The maxillary cast is attached to the upper member
during articulation.

11. Lower member
• L shaped frame with horizontal and vertical
arm.
• The horizontal arm is triangular in shape and
corresponds to the upper member.
• The apex of the triangle of the horizontal arm
contains the incisal guide table.
• The vertical arm is rectangular containing the
condylar guidance slot at the upper position.

12. Incisal guide table
• It is defined as that part of the articulator which
maintains the incisal guide angle. (GPT)
• Incisal guide table gives the incisal guidance to
the articulator.
• It can be described as a very short cylinder
whose upper surface is concave.
• The vertical rod should rest on the centre of the
incisal guide table during articulation.
• The incisal guide angle is fixed.

13. Condylar guidance
• Represented by a slot (condylar track).
• Condylar element of upper member passes
through this track.
• A spring is mounted within this track to
establish the condylar element.

14. Incisal pin
• It helps to keep a fixed distance between the upper
and lower members at the anterior end.
• The vertical rod has a pointed tip, which should rest
on the centre of the incisal guide table during
articulation.
• The tip of the incisal guide pin is the anterior
reference point in this articulator.
• The incisal edges of the maxillary incisors at the
midpoint of the occlusion rim should touch the tip of
the incisal pin during articulation.

15. Limitations of articulator
Presented by: Nivedita tiwari

16. Limitations of articulator

17.  An articulator may be made of metal or plastic .
 Metal articulators shows error resulting from metal fatigue
 It may not stimulate the intraborder and functional movements of
mandible
 Errors in jaw relation procedure are reported as errors in the
denture occlusion. Articulators do not have any provision to
indicate or correct these errors

18.  An articulator is made to stimulate the equivalent
movements of the TMJ but does not dublicate or produce
identical movements as in human mouth
 The movements stimulated are empty mouth sliding motion
and not functional movemants
 Articulators based on theories of occlusion , has only
theoretical concepts,as there is no provision for variations
from theoretical relationships that accur in different persons

19. Requirements and additional
requirements of an articulator.
Presented by: H.Parikshith

20. Minimal Requirements
• The articulator must accurately maintain the correct vertical and
horizontal relationship of the patient’s cast i.e. centric position
• Patients cast must be easily removable and attachable to the articulator
without losing the relationship.
• It should have an incisal guide pin with positive stop and which is
adjustable.
• Should be able to open and close in a hinge like fashion.
• It must accept a facebow transfer
• The construction should be accurate, rigid and of non corrosive material.
• Adequate distance between upper and lower members.

21. Additional requirements
For balanced occlusion:
• The condylar guides should allow right lateral, left lateral and protrusive
movements.
• Horizontally adjustable condylar guides.
• Provisions for adjustment of Bennett movement.
• The incisal guide table should be adjusted in the sagittal and frontal
planes

22. ADVANTAGES OF ARTICULATOR
presented by: Parvathy.s.kumar

23. 1. Properly - mounted cast allow the operator to visualize the
patient’s occlusion, especially from the lingual view.
2. Patient cooperation is not a factor when using an articulator once
the appropriate inter-occlusal records are obtained from the
patient.
3. The refinement of complete denture occlusion in the mouth is
extremely difficult because of shifting denture bases and resiliency
of the supporting tissues. This difficulty is eliminated when
articulators are used.

24. 4. Inter occlusal records can be obtained and complete denture
occlusion can be refined outside the mouth on an articulator.
5. More procedures can be delegated to auxillary personnel when
utilizing an articulator for development of patient’s occlusion.
6. Reduced chair time, patient’s appointment time.
7. The patient’s saliva, tongue and cheeks are not
factors when using an articulator.

25. ARTICULATORS BASED ON THEORIES
OF OCCLUSION
presented by:Paul oliapuram

26. BONWILL THEORY ARTICULATORS
• Designed by WGA Bonwill
• Accoding to bonwill’s theory of occlusion,the teeth move in relation to
each other as guided by the condylar and the incisal guidances ..
• Bonwill articulators allow lateral movement and permit the movement
of the mechanism only in the horizontal pane ..
• An equilateral triangle is formed between the two condyles and the
incisal point;theoretically the dimension is 4 inches ..

27. CONICAL THEORY ARTICULTORS
• The conical theory of occlusion proposed that the lower teeth move over
the surfaces of the upper teeth as over the of a cone , generating an
angle of 45 degree with the central axis of the cone tipped 45 degree to
the occlusal plane.
• The hall automatic articulator designed by RE Hall follows the conical
theory of occlusion.

28. SPHERICAL THEORY
ARTICULATORS
• The spherical theory of occlusion proposed that lower teeth move over
the surface of upper teeth as over a sphere with a diameter of 8 inches.
• The centre of the sphere was located in the region of glabella. The
surface of the sphere passed through the glenoid fossa and along with
the articulating eminences.
• The articulator devised by G.S. Monson operated on the spherical theory
of occlusion.

29. CLASSIFICATION OF ARTICULATOR
BASED ON TYPE OF RECORD USED
FOR THEIR ADJUSTMENT
presented by
PAYAL DAS

31. Articulators are specifically
designed to accept different jaw
relation records

32. Based on the record used for their
adjustments
• They are of two types
Inter-occlusal record adjustment
Graphic record adjustment

34. INTER-OCCLUSAL RECORD
ADJUSTMENT
Most articulators are adjusted by some kind of
interocclusal record.
These records are made by
 Base plate wax
 Plaster of Paris
 Zinc oxide eugenol paste
 Cold cure acrylic resin

37. GRAPHIC RECORD ADJUSTMENT
Records extreme border positions of mandibular
movements accurately
Pantograph (face bow & jaw writing
apparatus)can be attached to transfer records
Hinge axis location for adjusting articulators

41. ARTICULATORS ACCORDING TO THEIR
ADJUSTMENT CAPACITY-
• Non-adjustable
• Semi-adjustable
• Fully-adjustable

42. Non-adjustable
– Simple Hinge articulator
– Hinge articulator with fixed condylar guidance
control
• Simple hinge articulator: also called as plane
line / straight line articulator. It has the ability
to produce opening and closing mandibular
movement only with out provision for lateral
or protrusive movements. Only one
interocclusal record is necessary for its
adjustment and use.

43. Hinge articulator with fixed condylar
guidance control
• some eccentric movement can occur but is
limited in direction and form and cannot be
altered to accommodate individual patient
variations. It is used to perfect the occlusal
contact in centric relation only.

44. NON ADJUSTABLE ARTICULATORS

45. Semi-adjustable
• Most commonly used.
• They have adjustable horizontal condylar
path,lateral condylar path,incisal guide table
and intercondylar distances. The degree and
ease of these adjustments differ.
• They can be
• arcon
• Non-arcon

46. ARCON NON-ARCON
1
Condylar element attached to
lower member and condylar
guidance attached to the
upper member.
Condylar element
attached to the upper
member and the
condylar guidance
attached to the lower
member.
2
Condylar guidance pathway –
curved
straight
Only straight condylar
guidance pathway.
3
Allows condyles to move in a
curved pathway during
eccentric movement.
Allows condyles to move
in a straight line during
eccentric movement.
4
Bennett movement can be
produced
Bennett movement can
be produced in a straight
line in a progressive
form.
5
e.g Whip-mix articulator e.g Hanau model –H
,Dentatus,Gysi

47. SEMIADJUSTABLE : ARCON

49. Fully adjustable
• They are capable of being adjusted to follow the
mandibular movement in all directions. These
articulators have numerous adjustable readings
which can be customized for each patient .They are
not commonly used.
• Disadvantages:
• more complicated
• increased treatment cost
• more time taking
• e.g Stuart instrument gnathoscope, Simulator by
E.Granger.

51. • Non-adjustable articulator: used for single
restoration and small prosthesis, to perfect
the occlusal record in centric relation.
• Semi-adjustable articulator: used when cross
arch and cross tooth balance is to be
obtained.
• Fully-adjustable: used in cases of ;
• complicated occlusal T.M.J
disturbances
• Myofacial pain distress
syndrome

52. Non-adjustable Articulator
These articulators are designed using fixed
dimensions,which are derived from average
distance between the incisal and condylar
guidance of the population.
The condylar guidance is attached to the
lower member and the condylar element is
attached to the upper member, hence this is a
non-arcon articulator.

53. Semi – adjustable Articulators:
• HANAU ARTICULATOR
• Hanau H2
• The Hanau H2 articulator is a condylar or
a non arcon type with condylar guidance
controls attached to the lower member of the
articulator.

54. Classification based on jaw movements
• presented by: Pooja.R.K

55. CLASSIFICATION OF ARTICULATOR
Class 1
 Simple holding instruments capable of accepting a single static registration.
 Only vertical motion is possible.
 E.g: Slab articulator, Barndoor articulator

56. CLASS 2:
 These articulators permit horizontal and vertical movements but they do not
orient the movements to TMJ with a face-bow.
Type A:
 Eccentric motion permitted is based on average or arbitary values.
 E.g : Mean value articulator

57. Type B:
 Eccentric motion permitted is based on theories of arbitary
motion.
 E.g: Monsoon’s articulator, Hall articulator

58. Type C:
 Eccentric motion permitted is determined by the patient using
engraving methods.
 E.g: House’s articulator

59. CLASS 3:
• These articulators permit horizontal and vertical movements.
• They do accept face-bow transfer.
Type A:
• Instruments that accept static protrusive registration and use equivalents for
the rest of the motion.
• E.g: Hanau H, Hanau II Bergstrom articulator.

60. Type B:
 Instruments that accept static lateral protrusive registrations and
use equivalents for the rest of the motion.
 E.g: Panadent, Trubite , Teledyne Hanau university series.

61. CLASS 4:
• These articulators accept three-dimensional dynamic
registrations.
• They allow point-orientation of the casts using a face-bow
transfer.

62. Type A:
• The cams representing the condylar paths are formed by
registration engraved by the patient.
• This path cannot be modified.
• E.g: TMJ articulator

63. Type B:
• Instruments that have condylar paths that can be angled and
customized either by selection from a variety of curvatures, by
modification,or both.
• E.g: Stuart instrument gnathoscope

64. Uses of articulator
Presented by:
Pradnya ingale

65. USES OF ARTICULATOR
 To arrange artificial teeth
 To diagnose the state of occlusion in both the natural and artificial
dentitions
 To correct and modify completed restoration
 To aid in the fabrication of restoration and prosthodontic replacement
 To plan dental procedures based on the relationship between opposing
natural and artificial teeth e.g. evaluation of the possibility of the
balanced occlusion

66. Presented by:
Guided by:
Dr. Chetan M.D.
Dr. Poonam
Dept of Prosthodontics, BDCH
Name Roll No. Reg No.
Neethu Wilson 51 14D0956
Nikita Tanwar 52 14D0957
Nivedita Tiwari 53 14D0958
Parikshit Harnoor 54 14D0959
Parvathy S. Kumar 55 14D0960
Paul Oliapuram 56 14D0961
Payal Das 57 14D0962
Pooja A Solanki 58 14D0963
Pooja R.K. 59 14D0964
Pradnya S. Ingale 60 14D0965