The effect of the articulator settings on the cusp inclines as measured by a coordinate measuring machine.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to learn the effect of changes in the articulator settings on the cusp angles during working, nonworking, and protrusive movements; the purpose was also to determine the ability of the coordinate measuring machine to measure the movements.


METHODS
The condylar angles and the anterior guide angles on a Hanau 96H2 articulator (Teledyne Hanau Corp, Buffalo, NY) were varied; 432 working, nonworking, and protrusive cusp angles were measured at the first molar by a coordinate measuring machine.


RESULTS
The data from the coordinate measuring machine was used to produce formulas. The formulas were used to calculate the working, nonworking, and protrusive cusp angles that will occur as a result of 72 different articulator settings.


CONCLUSIONS
The coordinate measuring machine is useful for making measurements of articulator movements. Additional research may measure the movements of other articulators or compare articulators (such as the arcon and nonarcon).
Department of Prosthodontics, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Indianapolis.
A G
AG
Wagner
K E
KE
Rennels
D003725:Dental Articulators; D003767:Dental Occlusion, Balanced; D003779:Denture Design / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D015203:Reproducibility of Results