Method of transferring axis-orbital plane information from a patient to a dental articulator
United States Patent 3896551
In place of the conventional axis-orbital plane recording bow normally attached to a mandibular movement recorder to determine a patient's axis-orbital plane for transfer to a dental articulator, indents are made of the patient's teeth in reference plates during the recording operation. These indents or impressions are formed in reference plates which are substituted for the conventional clutches normally used to attach and support the recording bows during a recording operation. By then simply transferring the hardened indents or impressions to already available plaster casts of the patient's teeth, previously mounted on the articulator, the correct axis-orbital plane is automatically established.
US Patent References:
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING RECORDED JAW MOVEMENT INFORMATION
Lee - July 1969 - 3452439
MULTIPURPOSE ADJUSTABLE OCCLUSAL FORK
Hernandez - September 1972 - 3693260
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING RECORDED JAW MOVEMENT INFORMATION
Lee - July 1969 - 3452439
MULTIPURPOSE ADJUSTABLE OCCLUSAL FORK
Hernandez - September 1972 - 3693260
Application Number:
05/416018
Publication Date:
07/29/1975
Filing Date:
11/15/1973
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
433/214, 433/73
International Classes:
A61C11/02; A61C19/045; A61C11/00; A61C19/04; A61C11/00
Field of Search:
32/18,19,32
Primary Examiner:
Peshock, Robert
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Pastoriza, Ralph B.
Claims:
What is claimed is
1. A method of transferring axis-orbital plane information with a dental mandibular movement recorder to a dental articulator wherein plaster casts of a patient's lower and upper teeth have been made and are mounted on the articulator with an axis orbital transferring device and centric relation recording, comprising the steps of:
1. A method of transferring axis-orbital plane information with a dental mandibular movement recorder to a dental articulator wherein plaster casts of a patient's lower and upper teeth have been made and are mounted on the articulator with an axis orbital transferring device and centric relation recording, comprising the steps of:
Description:
This invention relates generally to dentistry and more particularly to an improved transfer method for providing axis-orbital plane information fabrication from a patient's dental mandibular movement recorder to a dental articulator in the fabrication of dentures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In my U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,876 entitled MANDIBULAR MOVEMENT RECORDER, there is described a device used in the practice of dentistry for recording the direction and magnitude of movement of the human mandible. The recorder is adapted for use in guiding a dentist or dental mechanic in adjusting a dental articulating instrument so that the instrument will reproduce the same paths of jaw movement that are described by the jaws of the patient on whose jaws dentures are to be fitted, according to the record provided by the mandibular movement recorder.
An important consideration in adjusting the articulator is to make sure that the casts of the patient's teeth are in the same relationship to the hinge axis of the articulator as the patient's teeth are to the hinge axis of the patient's jaw, in addition to making sure that the various movements effected by the articulator duplicate those of the patient's jaw. The proper relationship of the teeth to the hinge axis is determined by establishing an axis-orbital plane and towards this end, a portion of the recording instrument includes an axis-orbital plane recorder.
As mentioned in my above-mentioned letters patent, during the course of dental treatment and the construction of artificial dentures of various kinds, it is necessary to make many transfers of diagnostic and working casts of the mouth to an instrument, such as an articulator, which reproduces the movements of the mandible. The axis-orbital plane recording device functions simply to facilitate the location of the axis-orbital plane in an accurate and precise manner whenever transfers of the plane to an articulator are necessary.
Since the use of an axis-orbital plane recorder consumes considerable time as well as additional equipment, it would be desirable if such an apparatus could be eliminated altogether from the mandibular movement recorder. It will be understood that marking a point on a person's face generally to one side of his nose at the level of the lower border of the eye orbit in conjunction with the two points at the end of the jaw hinge axis establishes the axis-orbital plane and thus the correct reference of the patient's teeth relative to the hinge axis and orbital plane.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
With the foregoing in mind, the present invention contemplates a new method of transferring axis-orbital plane information with a mandibular movement recorder to an articulator all to the end that the usual apparatus in the form of axis transferring styluses and orbital pointer means are eliminated from the mandibular movement recorder. And yet a precise duplication of the proper relationship of the patient's teeth can readily be established on the dental articulator when the transfer is made.
More particularly, in accord with the method of the present invention, a conventional mandibular movement recorder is employed but there is not required the use of any axis-orbital plane recorder in conjunction therewith. Rather, the conventional clutch plates which are normally cemented to the patient's teeth or jaws for enabling recording traces to be made are replaced by reference plates. These reference plates are lined with impression material and indents of the patient's teeth are made with these reference plates while the patient's jaw is in a centric position and the recording apparatus properly adjusted. When the impression material hardens, the recorder is properly locked to the patient's jaws so that recording traces can be made in a conventional manner, the same as though clutches were employed properly cemented to the patient's teeth. However, after the recordings have been completed, the reference plates are removed with the indents of the patient's teeth therein and these reference plates may then be directly fitted to the already axis orbital mounted casts of the patient's lower and upper teeth on the articulator thereby automatically establishing the axis-orbital plane relationship. If the indents are properly fitted onto the mounted casts, the hinge axis points and orbital plane will automatically be identical on the articulator as the axis-orbital plane in the human head.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A better understanding of the method of this invention will be had by now referring to the accompanying drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mandibular movement recorder modified slightly in order to carry out the method of the present invention; and,
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a dental articulator incorporating axis orbital mounted casts of the patient's teeth for cooperation with the mandibular movement recorder of FIG. 1 in accord with the method of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring first to FIG. 1, the mandibular movement recorder comprises a U-shaped lower frame including a lower horizontal bar 10 supporting a lower impression-taking reference plate 11 at its central portion as by means of a clamp block 12 adjustably secured to the bar 10. The lower bar 10 includes right and left supporting rods 13 and 14 extending rearwardly with the relationship to a patient's face so as to assume positions adjacent to the right and left sides of the patient's face when the reference plate is secured to the lower jaw. The ends of the rods 13 and 14 support suitable styli 15 and 16 respectively.
A U-shaped upper frame includes an upper horizontal bar 17 secured to an upper impression reference plate 18 by a suitable clamp block 19 adjustably connected to the upper bar 17 as shown.
Suitable right and left supporting rods 20 and 21 extend from the upper bar 17 and terminate in recording surfaces designated generally at 22 and 23 respectively. These recording surfaces are arranged to be engaged by the recording styli 15 and 16 and traces are made when the patient moves his mandible, thus effecting movement of the styli relative to the recording surfaces, all as fully set forth and described in my heretofore referred to U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,876.
In accord with a feature of this invention in carrying out the method, the usual bite blocks or clutches have been replaced by the impression-taking reference plates 11 and 18 as described in FIG. 1. These reference plates are lined with impression taking material and when the reference plates are properly positioned over the lower and upper teeth to make an impression and when the impression material has hardened, the recorder is properly secured to the patient in the same manner as though bite blocks or clutches were employed and properly cemented to the patient's teeth.
It is to be understood that the patient's mandible is held in a centric position when the reference plates are positioned for taking the indents of the teeth and the various other recording adjustments are also made with the mandible in this centric position; that is, the styli are adjusted relative to the recording surfaces so that proper traces can be made in response to subsequent movement of the jaw.
Referring now to FIG. 2 there is shown in side view a dental articulator 28. This articulator may be of the type shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 2,816,360 entitled DENTAL ARTICULATOR. As shown, there are provided lower and upper plaster casts 29 and 30 which previously are normally made of the patient's teeth position by face bow means on the articulator. The hinge axis of the articulator is indicated at A and in transferring the information from the recorder to the articulator in order that the articulator can be adjusted to simulate the movements of the patient's jaw, it is vital to establish an axis-orbital plane for the casts of the teeth on the articulator in precise correspondence to the axis-orbital plane of the patient as heretofore established during the recording by an axis-orbital bow and pointer indicating a point to the right of the patient's nose, on level of the lower border of the eye orbit.
In accord with the method of the present invention, it will be evident that by simply transferring the reference plates directly to the casts with the recorder still attached to the reference plates in the same manner that they would be attached to bite blocks or clutches, the axis-orbital plane is automatically established since the hinge axis of the articulator has previously been put in proper alignment with the hinge axis of the patient.
In FIG. 2, the application of the lower and upper reference plates 11 and 18 to the casts 29 and 30 is indicated by the arrows.
So long as the hardened impression material remains and is fitted properly to the plaster cast teeth on the articulator, the axio-dental relations on the articulator are the same as the axio-dental relations of the patent and thereafter the dentist or technician is assured of the proper relationship of the teeth to the hinge axis in the articulator.
Summarizing, in former methods of recording mandibular movements the recording apparatus was used to perform four functions.
1. Location of axis and marking of orbital plane.
2. Recording axis on the recording device for transferring the axis to the articulator by using styluses on the recorder and also on orbital point for the orbital plane.
3. Recording the excentric mandibular movement of the patient on the recording plates by means of the recording styluses.
4. Maintaining the upper and lower recording devices in centric relation by using upper and lower extraoral bars cemented together in centric relation on the patient. By this means the centric relation of the upper and lower recorder can be transferred to the articulator.
By using the method of the present invention, the above steps 1, 2 and 4 are eliminated from the technique thus simplifying the process, shortening the time consumed for the technique and increasing the accuracy of the relations.
It will thus be seen that the method of the present invention wherein reference plates are employed and indents of the patient's teeth transferred directly to casts on the articulator wholly eliminates the need for transferring the axis-orbital plane on the mandibular movement recorder because in effect the same result is being accomplished by this method.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In my U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,876 entitled MANDIBULAR MOVEMENT RECORDER, there is described a device used in the practice of dentistry for recording the direction and magnitude of movement of the human mandible. The recorder is adapted for use in guiding a dentist or dental mechanic in adjusting a dental articulating instrument so that the instrument will reproduce the same paths of jaw movement that are described by the jaws of the patient on whose jaws dentures are to be fitted, according to the record provided by the mandibular movement recorder.
An important consideration in adjusting the articulator is to make sure that the casts of the patient's teeth are in the same relationship to the hinge axis of the articulator as the patient's teeth are to the hinge axis of the patient's jaw, in addition to making sure that the various movements effected by the articulator duplicate those of the patient's jaw. The proper relationship of the teeth to the hinge axis is determined by establishing an axis-orbital plane and towards this end, a portion of the recording instrument includes an axis-orbital plane recorder.
As mentioned in my above-mentioned letters patent, during the course of dental treatment and the construction of artificial dentures of various kinds, it is necessary to make many transfers of diagnostic and working casts of the mouth to an instrument, such as an articulator, which reproduces the movements of the mandible. The axis-orbital plane recording device functions simply to facilitate the location of the axis-orbital plane in an accurate and precise manner whenever transfers of the plane to an articulator are necessary.
Since the use of an axis-orbital plane recorder consumes considerable time as well as additional equipment, it would be desirable if such an apparatus could be eliminated altogether from the mandibular movement recorder. It will be understood that marking a point on a person's face generally to one side of his nose at the level of the lower border of the eye orbit in conjunction with the two points at the end of the jaw hinge axis establishes the axis-orbital plane and thus the correct reference of the patient's teeth relative to the hinge axis and orbital plane.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
With the foregoing in mind, the present invention contemplates a new method of transferring axis-orbital plane information with a mandibular movement recorder to an articulator all to the end that the usual apparatus in the form of axis transferring styluses and orbital pointer means are eliminated from the mandibular movement recorder. And yet a precise duplication of the proper relationship of the patient's teeth can readily be established on the dental articulator when the transfer is made.
More particularly, in accord with the method of the present invention, a conventional mandibular movement recorder is employed but there is not required the use of any axis-orbital plane recorder in conjunction therewith. Rather, the conventional clutch plates which are normally cemented to the patient's teeth or jaws for enabling recording traces to be made are replaced by reference plates. These reference plates are lined with impression material and indents of the patient's teeth are made with these reference plates while the patient's jaw is in a centric position and the recording apparatus properly adjusted. When the impression material hardens, the recorder is properly locked to the patient's jaws so that recording traces can be made in a conventional manner, the same as though clutches were employed properly cemented to the patient's teeth. However, after the recordings have been completed, the reference plates are removed with the indents of the patient's teeth therein and these reference plates may then be directly fitted to the already axis orbital mounted casts of the patient's lower and upper teeth on the articulator thereby automatically establishing the axis-orbital plane relationship. If the indents are properly fitted onto the mounted casts, the hinge axis points and orbital plane will automatically be identical on the articulator as the axis-orbital plane in the human head.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A better understanding of the method of this invention will be had by now referring to the accompanying drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mandibular movement recorder modified slightly in order to carry out the method of the present invention; and,
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a dental articulator incorporating axis orbital mounted casts of the patient's teeth for cooperation with the mandibular movement recorder of FIG. 1 in accord with the method of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring first to FIG. 1, the mandibular movement recorder comprises a U-shaped lower frame including a lower horizontal bar 10 supporting a lower impression-taking reference plate 11 at its central portion as by means of a clamp block 12 adjustably secured to the bar 10. The lower bar 10 includes right and left supporting rods 13 and 14 extending rearwardly with the relationship to a patient's face so as to assume positions adjacent to the right and left sides of the patient's face when the reference plate is secured to the lower jaw. The ends of the rods 13 and 14 support suitable styli 15 and 16 respectively.
A U-shaped upper frame includes an upper horizontal bar 17 secured to an upper impression reference plate 18 by a suitable clamp block 19 adjustably connected to the upper bar 17 as shown.
Suitable right and left supporting rods 20 and 21 extend from the upper bar 17 and terminate in recording surfaces designated generally at 22 and 23 respectively. These recording surfaces are arranged to be engaged by the recording styli 15 and 16 and traces are made when the patient moves his mandible, thus effecting movement of the styli relative to the recording surfaces, all as fully set forth and described in my heretofore referred to U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,876.
In accord with a feature of this invention in carrying out the method, the usual bite blocks or clutches have been replaced by the impression-taking reference plates 11 and 18 as described in FIG. 1. These reference plates are lined with impression taking material and when the reference plates are properly positioned over the lower and upper teeth to make an impression and when the impression material has hardened, the recorder is properly secured to the patient in the same manner as though bite blocks or clutches were employed and properly cemented to the patient's teeth.
It is to be understood that the patient's mandible is held in a centric position when the reference plates are positioned for taking the indents of the teeth and the various other recording adjustments are also made with the mandible in this centric position; that is, the styli are adjusted relative to the recording surfaces so that proper traces can be made in response to subsequent movement of the jaw.
Referring now to FIG. 2 there is shown in side view a dental articulator 28. This articulator may be of the type shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 2,816,360 entitled DENTAL ARTICULATOR. As shown, there are provided lower and upper plaster casts 29 and 30 which previously are normally made of the patient's teeth position by face bow means on the articulator. The hinge axis of the articulator is indicated at A and in transferring the information from the recorder to the articulator in order that the articulator can be adjusted to simulate the movements of the patient's jaw, it is vital to establish an axis-orbital plane for the casts of the teeth on the articulator in precise correspondence to the axis-orbital plane of the patient as heretofore established during the recording by an axis-orbital bow and pointer indicating a point to the right of the patient's nose, on level of the lower border of the eye orbit.
In accord with the method of the present invention, it will be evident that by simply transferring the reference plates directly to the casts with the recorder still attached to the reference plates in the same manner that they would be attached to bite blocks or clutches, the axis-orbital plane is automatically established since the hinge axis of the articulator has previously been put in proper alignment with the hinge axis of the patient.
In FIG. 2, the application of the lower and upper reference plates 11 and 18 to the casts 29 and 30 is indicated by the arrows.
So long as the hardened impression material remains and is fitted properly to the plaster cast teeth on the articulator, the axio-dental relations on the articulator are the same as the axio-dental relations of the patent and thereafter the dentist or technician is assured of the proper relationship of the teeth to the hinge axis in the articulator.
Summarizing, in former methods of recording mandibular movements the recording apparatus was used to perform four functions.
1. Location of axis and marking of orbital plane.
2. Recording axis on the recording device for transferring the axis to the articulator by using styluses on the recorder and also on orbital point for the orbital plane.
3. Recording the excentric mandibular movement of the patient on the recording plates by means of the recording styluses.
4. Maintaining the upper and lower recording devices in centric relation by using upper and lower extraoral bars cemented together in centric relation on the patient. By this means the centric relation of the upper and lower recorder can be transferred to the articulator.
By using the method of the present invention, the above steps 1, 2 and 4 are eliminated from the technique thus simplifying the process, shortening the time consumed for the technique and increasing the accuracy of the relations.
It will thus be seen that the method of the present invention wherein reference plates are employed and indents of the patient's teeth transferred directly to casts on the articulator wholly eliminates the need for transferring the axis-orbital plane on the mandibular movement recorder because in effect the same result is being accomplished by this method.