The document discusses the facebow transfer technique in prosthodontics, introduced by George Snow in 1899, which helps relate the maxillary arch to the mandibular hinge axis for accurate occlusion. It outlines various types of facebows, their components, indications for use, and recent advances in digital facebow technology that automate processes and enhance accuracy. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of hinge axis location and proper orientation recording for effective dental treatment.

1. FACEBOW TRANSFER
AND ARTICULATION
DR ABHIDHA TRIPATHI
DEPT OF PROSTHODONTICS

2. Introduction
1
2
CONTENTS Definition
3
4
5
6
7
Value of Facebow
Recent advances
Facebow Registration and
Transfer
Types of Facebow
Indications
Conclusion
References
8
9

3. INTRODUCTION
• In 1899, George Snow
introduced the facebow to
help locate the rotation
axis of the lower jaw.
• The procedure of facebow
transfer confirms that the
maxillary arch is oriented in
the same or comparable
distances to the hinges on
the articulator as it is in the
TMJ.

4. JAW RELATION OR MAXILLO-MANDIBULAR
RELATIONSHIP
• DEFINITION: A registration of any positional relationship of the mandible
relative to the maxillae. These records may be made at any vertical, horizontal
or lateral orientation.
-GPT 9

5. ORIENTATION JAW RELATION
• DEFINITION: The relations that orient the maxilla to the cranium in such a way
that, when the mandible is kept in its most posterior position, the mandible
can rotate in a sagittal plane around an imaginary transverse axis passing
through or near the condyles.
- GPT 9

6. • Plane of maxilla may be tilted in some patients - plane of mandible will not be altered
since it articulates with base of the skull.
• Hence , a maxillary tilt will alter the relationship of maxilla to mandible during different
movements, also affects the level of occlusal plane .
ORIENTATION OF MAXILLA IN RELATION TO BASE OF
SKULL

7. ACCORDING TO GPT 9:
AN INSTRUMENT USED TO RECORD SPATIAL
RELATIONSHIP OF THE MAXILLARY ARCH TO SOME
ANATOMIC REFERENCE POINT OR POINTS AND THEN
TRANSFER THIS RELATIONSHIP TO AN ARTICULATOR; IT
ORIENTS THE DENTAL CAST IN THE SAME SPATIAL
RELATIONSHIP TO THE OPENING AXIS OF THE
ARTICULATOR
DEFINITION

8. VALUE OF THE FACEBOW
• Failure to use
facebow can
lead to errors
in occlusion of
denture.
• Allows more
accurate arc of
closure on the
articulator.
• An integral
part in
analyzing and
studying the
occlusion.

9. INDICATIONS
• When interocclusal
check records are used
• When
balanced
occlusion is
desired
• When cusp
form teeth
are used
• In full mouth
rehabilitation when
accurate occlusal
restorations are to be
made
• For diagnostic
mounting and
treatment
planning
• In
gnathological
studies and
treatment

10. • U SHAPED FRAME
• CONDYLAR RODS
• EAR PIECES
• BITE FORK
• LOCKING DEVICE
• ORBITAL POINTER
PARTS OF
FACEBOW

11. • Represents the plane of the cranium
• It forms the main frame of the facebow
• All other components are attached to this frame.
• It extends from the region of TMJ on one side to the
other side without contacting the face.
U SHAPED FRAME

12. • Two small metallic rods on either side of the free end of
the U shaped frame that contact the skin over the TMJ.
• They are used to locate the hinge axis and transfer it to
the articulator.
• Some facebows have ear piece that fit into the external
auditory meatus instead of condylar rods
CONDYLAR RODS

13. • Represents the plane of the maxilla.
• U shaped plate which is attached to the occlusal rims
while recording the orientation relation
• It is attached to the frame with the help of a rod called
the stem.
• The bite fork should be inserted 3mm below occlusal
surface within occlusal rim
BITE FORK

14. • Attaches the bite fork to the U shaped frame
• Supports the facebow, occlusal rims and cast during
articulation.
• Consists of transfer rod
• U shaped frame is attached to the vertical transfer rod
LOCKING DEVICE

15. • Attaches the bite fork to the U shaped frame
• Supports the facebow, occlusal rims and cast during
articulation.
• Consists of transfer rod
• U shaped frame is attached to the vertical transfer rod
THIRD REFERENCE
POINT

16. • ARBITARY TYPE
• KINEMATIC TYPE
TYPES OF FACEBOW
• EAR PIECE TYPE
• FACIA TYPE
• HANAU FACEBOW
• SLIDEMATIC
• TWIRL BOW
• WHIP MIX
• FACIA TYPE HANAU
FACEBOW ATTACHED TO
HANAU ARTICULATOR

17. • ARBITARY TYPE
TYPES OF FACEBOW
• KINEMATIC TYPE
Earpiece Facia type
• HANAU
• Denar
Slidematic
• Whipmix
Quick Mount
• HANAU 132-
25 M
• HANAU 132-
2C Model
• TMJ
Instrument
• Pantograph
• Axiograph

18. • Most commonly used
• In this type the axis is located by using anatomical land
marks. The condylar rods are positioned approximately
13 mm anterior to the auditory meatus on the cantho-
tragal line
ARBITARY TYPE
• This method generally locates the rods within 5mm of
the true hinge axis of the jaws. As this is an arbitary
hinge axis, errors in jaw relation may produce occlusal
discrepancies which should be corrected by minor
occlusal adjustments during insertion.

19. • Facia type utilizes approximate points on the skin over
the temporomandibular region as the posterior
reference points.
• These points are located by measuring from certain
anatomic landmarks on the face.
• The facebow has a pointer that can be positioned to the
posterior reference point.
FASCIA TYPE
• DISADVANTAGES:
1. As the facebow is placed on the skin which is movable
there is a tendency for the condylar rods to displace.
2.Also requires an assistant to hold the facebow in place.

20. • It uses external auditory meatus as an arbitary
reference point
• Accurate relationship for most diagnostic and
restorative procedures.
• Posterior reference point is External auditory meatus
and anterior reference point is Orbitale
EARPIECE TYPE
• ADVANTAGES;
1.Simple to use
2. Does not require measurements on face
3.Provides an average anatomic dimension between EAM
and horizontal axis of mandible
• DISADVANTAGES:
1.An error of 0.2mm from the axis can be expected.

21. • It is an earpiece facebow made of spring steel and
simply springs open and close to various head widths.
• Most commonly used
• This instrument is designed to orient the occlusal plan
to the Frankfort horizontal plane by means of a third
reference point.
• indicated in cases when it is critical to precisely
reproduce the exact opening and closing movement of
the patient to articulator
SPRING BOW (HANAU’S
FACEBOW)
• ADVANTAGES:
1. Easy and efficient to use
2.one piece design of bow eliminates the moving parts
and maintainence problems encountered with other
models
• DISADVANTAGES:
1.Inability to measure inter condylar distance

22. • It is an earpiece type of facebow
• Allows the maxillary arch to be transferred to the articulator without physically attaching the
facebow to the articulator
• Relates the maxillary arch to FH plane
• A mounting guide is used to mount the transfer rod to the articulator
• Easy to manipulate because the facebow is not needed to mount the maxillary cast in the
articulator
TWIRL BOW

23. • This facebow has an electronic device, which gives the
reading that can be seen in the anterior region.
• This reading denotes one half of the patient’s inter
condylar distance
• These facebows require specific articulators, which
accept the reading.
• The posterior reference point for this instrument is the
external auditory meatus and the anterior reference
point is 43 mm superior to the incisal edge of the upper
central incisor for dentulous patients.
SLIDEMATIC TYPE (DENAR)

24. • In an edentulous patient the anterior reference point is
43mm superior to the lower border of the upper lip in a
relaxed state.
• This anterior reference point is also used for Whipmix
articulators.
• The anterior reference point can be marked using a
Denar reference plane locator.
• Tthe plane locator is an instrument which resembles a
facebow.
SLIDEMATIC TYPE (DENAR)

25. SLIDEMATIC TYPE (DENAR)

26. SLIDEMATIC TYPE (DENAR)

27. • These facebow have a built in hinge axis locator.
• It automatically locates the hinge axis when the
earpieces are located in the External Auditory Meatus.
• It has a nasion relator assembly with a plastic nose
piece.
• The nasion relator determines the anterior reference
point
WHIPMIX FACEBOW

28. WHIPMIX FACEBOW

29. • It is used to determine and locate the exact hinge axis
points.
• Hinge axis of the mandible can be determined can be
determined by a clutch i.e. a segmented impression tray
like device attached onto the mandibular teeth with a
suitable rigid material such as impression plaster.
KINEMATIC FACEBOW

30. KINEMATIC FACEBOW

31. • The facebow helps to orient the cast in the patients’s
terminal hinge axis.
• A 12-15degree pure rotational movement of the joint is
possible with maximal incisal separation of 20-25 mm
• This facebow requires a fully adjustable articulator to
accept the true hinge axis.
• Since the patients hinge axis is transferred to the
articulator, the movement of the articulator will
simulate the movements of the joint made at terminal
hinge position.
KINEMATIC FACEBOW

32. • Quick Mount facebow (with bitefork, nasion relator and Quick
Lock toggle assembly)
• Whip Mix Articulator
• Plaster bowl
• Spatula
• Laboratory Knife with no 25 blade
• Trimmed Maxillary cast
• Mounting Stone
FACEBOW ARMAMENTARIUM

33. • Two horseshoe wax wafers (Surgident Coprwax Bite
Wafer) are heated in warm tap water until they become
soft and flexible.
• A wafer is adapted to each side of the bite fork so that it is
uniformly covered.
• The wax-covered bite fork is placed between the teeth,
with the bite fork shaft to the patient’s right.
• The fork is centered by aligning the index ring on the fork
with the patient’s midline.
FACEBOW RECORD
TECHNIQUE

34. • The patient is instructed to bite lightly into the wax to
produce shallow indentations of the cusp tips in the wax.
• The wax is cooled, and the bite fork is removed from the
mouth. Any excess wax is trimmed off the bite fork.
• The maxillary cast is tried in the wax record to ensure that
it will seat without rocking.
• If the cast fails to seat, the occlusal surfaces of the cast are
checked for nodules of stone. If none are evident, there is
a distortion in the registration or the cast
FACEBOW RECORD
TECHNIQUE

35. • The reference pin is fastened to the underside of the face-
bow by tightening the thumbscrew.
• The bite fork is placed in the mouth, and the patient is
instructed to hold it securely between the maxillary and
mandibular teeth.
• The patient should grip both arms of the facebow to guide
the plastic earpieces into the external auditory meati, in
the same manner as one would place a stethoscope into
the ears
FACEBOW RECORD
TECHNIQUE

36. • The anterior reference pointer is extended while the
facebow is moved up or down. When the pointer is
properly aligned with the anterior reference point, the
thumbscrew is tightened.
• The facebow should not be allowed to torque or tilt during
the tightening procedure.
FACEBOW RECORD
TECHNIQUE

37. FACEBOW RECORD
TECHNIQUE
The bite fork is placed against the maxillary teeth
and supported by the dentist as the patient closes
lightly for a shallow impression of the cusp
The patient guides the earpieces as the
dentist places them into the external
auditory meati

38. FACEBOW RECORD
TECHNIQUE
The dentist places the clamp over the
bitefork shaft while the patient inserts the
earpiece
The thumbscrew on the front of
the facebow is tightened

39. FACEBOW RECORD
TECHNIQUE
The shaft of the nasion relator is extended,
and the thumbscrew is tightened
The thumbscrew on the top of
the facebow is tightened

40. FACEBOW RECORD
TECHNIQUE
The Quick Lock Toggle is slipped into the
slot on the bite fork and the thumbscrew is
tightened
Complete facebow record

41. FACEBOW RECORD
TECHNIQUE
The thumbscrew on the top of the facebow
is loosened
The space between the facebow and the
bite fork is checked for uniformity.

42. • As the patient opens the mouth, the assembly is removed
from the head. The clamps are rechecked and tightened.
• The bite fork assembly is removed from the underside of
the facebow by loosening the set screw on the clamp by a
quarter turn. Only the bite fork assembly needs to be
used for mounting the maxillary cast and should be
disinfected at this time.
FACEBOW RECORD
TECHNIQUE

43. • In recent years, the incorporation of CAD/CAM technology
has provided for more efficient protocols by automating
processes and reducing manual labor. Intra-oral scanners
can digitise dental arches and register maxillomandibular
relationships.
• Currently, many CAD/CAM systems include a virtual
articulator simulatory module as a tool to simulate
mandibular movements, which can be adjusted by using
numerical values to represent condylar inclination,
Bennett angle, vertical dimension, etc.
DIGITAL FACEBOW
Solaberrieta E, Garmendia A, Minguez R, Brizuela A, Pradies G. Virtual facebow technique. J Prosthet Dent. 2015 Dec

44. • Scan the maxillary and mandibular dental arches of the
patient with an intraoral dental scanner to obtain digital
casts
• Place 3 adhesive targets onto the patient’s head. Locate
the first 2 points next to the temporomandibular joints
and the third point onto the infraorbital point.
• Locate scannable elastomeric impression material on a
plastic, colored facebow fork and introduce the facebow
fork into the patient’s mouth
DIGITAL FACEBOW
Solaberrieta E, Garmendia A, Minguez R, Brizuela A, Pradies G. Virtual facebow technique. J Prosthet Dent. 2015 Dec

45. DIGITAL FACEBOW
Solaberrieta E, Garmendia A, Minguez R, Brizuela A, Pradies G. Virtual facebow technique. J Prosthet Dent. 2015 Dec

46. DIGITAL FACEBOW
Solaberrieta E, Garmendia A, Minguez R, Brizuela A, Pradies G. Virtual facebow technique. J Prosthet Dent. 2015 Dec

47. • Make 8 to 10 photographs by using a
digital camera to obtain the 3D spatial
relationship of the shape of the head
with target points related to the
facebow.
• Scan the impression and the front
side of the facebow fork with an
intraoral dental scanner, load the
facebow fork 3D geometry and align it
to the maxillary digital cast by using
DIGITAL FACEBOW

48. CONCLUSIO
N
Despite lot of controversies in facebow usage,
hinge axis location and establishing plane of
orientation is an important componenet for
recording mandibular movement.
1
Facebow record helps in securing anteroposterior
positioning of the cast in relation to condyles. It
helps in achieving the exact anteroposterior or
vertical positioning of cast irt condyles
2
The virtual facebow is a recent advancement and
can align digital casts directly onto virtual
articulator. this was developed to overcome the
problem of transferring data from patient
simulation to virtual articulators.
3

49. REFERENCES
• George A Zarb, Hobkirk J, Eckert S, Jacob R. Prosthodontic Treatment for Edentulous Patients: Complete
Denture and Implant Supported Prostheses. South Asia Edition: Elsevier; 2015.
• Shillingburg HT, Hobo S, Whitsett LD, Jacobi R. Fundamentals of fixed prosthodontics. Quintessence
Publishing Company: 1997
• Schuyler CH. The function and importance of incisal guidance in oral rehabilitation. J Prosthet Dent 1963
• Winkler S, editor. Essentials of complete denture prosthodontics. year book medical Pub 1988
• Vivell C, Slavicek G, Slavicek R. Arbitrary versus exact mounting procedure during fabrication of intraoral
splints: An exploratory randomized controlled clinical trial. Int J Stomatol Occl Med. 2009
• Solaberrieta E, Garmendia A, Minguez R, Brizuela A, Pradies G. Virtual facebow technique. J Prosthet
Dent. 2015 Dec;114(6):751-5. doi: 10.1016/j.prosdent.2015.06.012. Epub 2015 Sep 12. PMID: 26372628.