Study of occlusal-articulation relationships with the help of T-SCAN apparatus.
Normal occlusal-articulation relationship between the two jaws ensure the even distribution of the occlusal forces during mastication. Data from the literature and the absence of serious studies evaluating the T-Scan apparatus give reasons for the present study.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate T-SCAN apparatus for registration and analysis of occlusal contacts in dynamic articulation.


METHODS
The study was carried out with the medical diagnostic apparatus T-SCAN. Out of 180 students (19-24 years old) examined, we selected 15 with intact dentitions without or with some small obturations and Angle class I relationship between the two jaws. Using T-SCAN we made 7 to 10 records in each of the studied students.


RESULTS
The occlusal contacts are presented as two-dimensional and three-dimensional images of the contour with different size and colour depending on the force of the pressure. A model of the dental arch is superimposed over the registered occlusal contacts. The place of the centre of the force in central occlusion is determined. The trajectory of the centre of the force during movements of the mandible is recorded which allows determination of the direction and amplitude of movement of the mandible.


CONCLUSIONS
The results from the study reveal that the correct use and analysis of the data from the apparatus T-SCAN provide valuable and reliable information for the localization and distribution of occlusal contacts in dynamic articulation.
Kalachev
Y S
YS
Higher Medical Institute, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Michailov
T A
TA
Iordanov
P I
PI
D000328:Adult; D003725:Dental Articulators; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D003817:Dentition; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D006801:Humans; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy