What Are the Types of Dental Articulators

What is a dental articulator?

The dental articulators are a kind of mechanical instrument that is mainly used to recreate a relationship between the temporomandibular joint, and the jaws. The dental articulators will fit exactly into the patient’s mouth, and they will perform like a real dentition. This kind of articulator will help to ensure the proper restoration and helps in the proper mandibular movements. The articulator mainly helps in the movement of the jaw, and it provides a static and dynamic relationship to observe these movements.

The main purpose of the articulator is to help in the closing and opening of the jaw, and it will firmly hold the maxillary and mandibular casts in a determined way.

Types of dental articulators:

The articulators are classified into various types which will be based on the spatial movements, and the trajectory they perform. Here are some of the articulator types;

• Non-adjustable articulator class Ⅰ

This kind of articulator won’t come under the articulator type, but they are considered a simple and support instrument.

This kind of articular will produce only the static relationship, and the advantage of this articulator is they are small in size. The best part is its ease of use, and the models can be easily fastened. If you are looking for a quick and immediate articulation, then this will best the best articulator to choose from. Here the model can be secured without using plaster or any other materials.

• Non-adjustable articulator class Ⅱ

In this type of articulator, only vertical and horizontal movements are possible. This is considered an intermediated step, and the assembly time of this articulator is short. This kind of articulator doesn’t provide any eccentric movements, and even the occlusal relationship may not be precise.  

• Semi-adjustable articulator

This semi-adjustable articulator is mostly used in dental treatment, and it is considered the most common articulator in the dental clinic. This kind of articulator is mainly used in the training and dental studies of patient development.

They are responsible for all the jaw movement in patients, and it helps to stimulate the condylar trajectories.

• Adjustable articulator

This adjustable articulator allows independent adjustment and also manages the trajectory movement. Here the mouth of the patient will be recorded by the pantograph, and it consists of a kinematic locator so it will measure the exact axis of the tooth by rotation. They help to measure the movements, nature, inclination, time, angle, and range of motion.

It is used rarely, and it is mainly used in serious and difficult cases of malocclusion because of its great complexity. But this type of articulator has certain disadvantages, as it is quite expensive, and also it consumes a lot of time when it is transferred to the patient. For a simple kind of restoration, this type of articulator is not used.  

If you want a simple restoration, then you can go for a semi-adjustable articulator, as it consists of a few limitations.

Articulators:

• Anatomic Dental Lab Articulator

The anatomic dental lab articulator is used in the fixation of model casts or for the impression. This is used for both the mandibular and maxillary teeth. It is used for various dental applications and the dental lab articulator is available in both open and close positions.

In the dental lab articulator, you will get a wide variety of options for the several mounting plate attachment. This kind of articulator is made of high-quality material, and it is specially used in the production of plaster models. This articulator comes with a lightweight, and also it consists of a compact design so it can be easily transferred from one place to another.  

• Artex BN Articulator

The dental articulator Artex BN is especially used in the production of precise dental casts, and the best part is it provides highly accurate results. It exactly reproduces the natural pattern of the patient’s teeth and other structures.

This type of articulator belongs to the non-adjustable articulator, and like other Artex instruments, it offers the same precision and magnetic interchangeability.  This type of articulator is made of stainless steel, and the functional parts are made of aluminum. It is preferred by most users because of its unique design, and also the design helps to reduce the work on the patient and the patient’s discomfort.

• Artex Type dental Facebow and Articulator Kit

This is the most important articulator in the dental laboratory, and it is used for both diagnosis and cast production purposes. This articulator is used for various dental applications such as in the manufacturing of dentures, and also in the designing of occlusal orthotic devices.

This kind of dental facebow and articulator comes with its components so it can be ready to use. It is designed under the International Standard Protocols, and you can get this articulator kit at a cheap price.   

• Plastic Dental Lab Articulators

Plastic dental lab articulators are mainly used in the precise production of dental casts, and it helps to reproduce the natural pattern of the patient’s teeth. This type of articulator can be widely used for the fabrication, and cast production process.

These are reusable articulators, so they can be used multiple times. It is made of plastic material, and when compared to the other articulators it is cost-effective. Using this, you can able to measure the jaw movements and the precise bite. It comes in a lightweight and can be easily transferred without much effort.

• Dental Model Fabrication Plates

The dental model fabrication plates are considered stable base plates, and it is mainly used to take an impression, and also to overcome the expansion of the plaster. The reason for using the base plates is that it is resistant to expansion. The best part is that this plate can be reused by making it cost-effective.

It is manufactured under standard protocols, and high-quality materials have been used for designing the plates.  A pinhole is fixed in the base plate to record the position, and it will provide smooth drilling of the hole. The following giroform model system of pindex dental plates comes in premium, secondary, and quarter three parts.