This invention relates to improved methods and apparatus for recording and simulating the condylar movement of an individual. This invention also provides a dental articulator which is designed to simulate the jaw or condylar movements of a patient. This instrument enables a dentist to obtain the necessary diagnostic information for treatment of the occlusal irregularities, such as malocclusion, and the fabrication of dental cast or “dentures”.

A disposable dental articulator is proposed. The disposable dental articulator includes a body, a socket coupled to the body and a fixing portion one side of which is slidably coupled to the first socket and the other side of which is configured to be coupled to one of a maxillary dental model and a mandibular dental model.

It is described a device for simulating jaw movements, the device comprising at least one first device unit attachable to an upper jaw model and at least one second device unit attachable to a lower jaw model, wherein the at least one first device unit comprises an engagement means and the at least one second device unit comprises one or more openings for receiving the engagement means, or vice versa, wherein the engagement means is arranged to perform a rotational movement and a translational movement within the one or more openings. It is further described a computer-implemented method for generating the device.

An articulator is disclosed for simulation of a temporomandibular joint movement, the articulator including a first articulator element (1) and a second articulator element (2), wherein the first articulator element (1) includes an engagement means (3) and the second articulator element (2) includes a receiver (4) for the engagement means (3).

A dental articulator (10) includes a lower base (12) having two support arms (28) extending therefrom. Each support arm (28) includes an upper end with an opening (30) therein. Each opening (30) is adapted to receive a fixed-angle temporomandibular joint assembly (32) having a fixed horizontal condyle angle or an adjustable-angle temporomandibular joint assembly (34) having an adjustable horizontal condyle angle. A dental articulator kit may initially include only a pair of fixed-angle temporomandibular joint assemblies (32) with the pair of adjustable-angle temporomandibular joint assemblies (34) available to be acquired by a user at a later time.

Dental articulator systems and dental articulators are disclosed herein. The disclosed dental articulator systems comprise a bite registrator, a dental articulator and a mounting jig. The bite registrator comprises a buccal rail configured to be positioned along the exterior perimeter of a patient's dentition; at least one vestibular component supported by and slidable along the buccal rail for identifying a reference position; and at least one bite registration module supported by and slidable along the buccal rail, and forming an aperture through which bite registration material may be injected into the patient's dentition. The dental articulator comprises an upper articulator member for mounting a maxillary dentition model, and a lower articulator member for mounting a mandibular dentition model. The mounting jig is configured to receive the bite registrator and indicate proper alignment of the position the maxillary dentition model and the mandibular dentition model with respect to one another.

For producing dentures, a new method and device render it possible to evaluate and shape movements generated by the individual jaw joints of the patient such that work with appropriate articulators becomes possible, which employ the individual jaw joints as articulation joints and thus carry out the identical movements. The known articulators are equipped with joint-space duplicates such that they can be employed with optimal equipment for the respective patient. The support pin is moved back as fixing pin in the retral space of the articulator such that it does not constitute an impediment when working on and when inspecting the jaw models arranged on the frame upper part and the frame base part. Moreover, setting different biting positions is made significantly easier, because the frame upper part is fixed to a swivel arch of the frame base part by an adjustable position stabilizer but can also be detached.

An anatomical articulator for modeling a temporomandibular joint includes a lower base portion comprising at least one upright support. A set of replica condyles produced from digital data representing a patient jaw structure is connected to the at least one upright support. An upper frame portion defines receptacles on either side. A set of replica mandibular fossae produced from the digital data representing a patient jaw structure is configured to connect to the upper frame portion via the receptacles. The replica condyles and the replica mandibular fossae meet to form a hinge of the articulator.

Articulatorsemiadjustable, arcon with lower and upper parts that could be detached from one another or interconnected, with two mechanical joints. An upper horizontal shoulder (5) is fixed to an elevator (4), said elevator (4) is connected to an upper vertical body (11) and can move vertically to adjust the vertical position. A lower vertical body (10) is fixed to the base (1) and holds an axis with two joint heads (14). The upper vertical body (11) is pivotably connected to the lower vertical body (10) through the two joint heads (14), the distance between the joint heads can vary due to an elastic element (18), thus reproducing the lateral shift. The articulation between the vertical bodies (11 and 10) can be locked and unlocked via an elbow shaped piece (13). The articulator lower part has an incisive platform (8) with a position angle that could be adapted.