Interchangeability of two semiadjustable articulators.
OBJECTIVE
Interchangeability between articulators allows mounted casts to be transferred accurately from one articulator to another. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the interchangeability of 109 new, unused interchangeable articulators in the centric position.


METHODS
The interchangeability of 38 unused Whip Mix model #2240 and 71 unused model #3040 semiadjustable articulators was evaluated using the Whip Mix #2245 check system as the standard. Vertical discrepancies between the check system cylinders were also measured.


RESULTS
Within the standard for interchangeability established by the Whip Mix #2245 check system (< 94 microns horizontal discrepancy), 101 (93%) of 109 articulators were interchangeable (34 were model #2240 and 67 were model #3040). Overall, the amount of vertical space between the check system cylinders was < or = 52 microns in 99.4% of the model #2240 articulators and 99.7% of the #3040 articulators.


CONCLUSIONS
New, unused Whip Mix model #2240 and #3040 articulators are potentially interchangeable in the centric position.
Price
R B
RB
Department of Dental Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 3J5, Canada. rbprice@is.dal.ca
Gerrow
J D
JD
Loney
R W
RW
Andreou
P
P
D002138:Calibration; D016302:Centric Relation; D003725:Dental Articulators / Q000592:standards; D003768:Dental Occlusion, Centric; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007574:Jaw Relation Record; D003765:Models, Dental; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014716:Vertical Dimension