Dental articulator

Claim 2

In a dental articulator having a lower member for mounting a lower tooth model and an upper member for mounting an upper tooth model, the improvement comprising: mounting means for supporting said upper member in stationary relationship with respect to said mounting means; a pair of upper articulating elements carried by said mounting means and having internal surface contours closely conforming to the surface contours of the fossae forming the upper members of a human mandibular joint; a pair of lower articulating elements attached to said lower member in operative relationship with said upper articulating elements and having external surface contours closely conforming to the surface contours of the mandibular condyles forming the lower members of a human mandibular joint; means for adjusting the angular orientation of said upper and lower articulating elements to conform with measured characteristics of a particular patient's mandibular joint; means for adjusting the lateral spacing of said upper and lower articulating elements to conform with measured characteristics of a particular patient's mandibular joint; and means for urging corresponding ones of said upper and lower articulating elements together and thereby holding them in continuous contact; whereby said lower member can be moved relative to said upper member in close simulation of actual movements of the particular patient's lower jaw.

Claim 3

The improvement in a dental articulator as set forth in claim 1, and further including means for locking said lower member rigidly to said mounting means, to secure said upper and lower members in a particular relationship.

Claim 4

The improvement in a dental articulator as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said upper member is removably hinged to said mounting means to permit said upper tooth model to be lifted clear of said lower tooth model; and said mounting means includes adjustable means for preventing downward movement of said upper member and said upper tooth model beyond a preselected point.

Claim 5

The improvement in a dental articulator as set forth in claim 1, wherein said articulating elements are permanently magnetized to provide said means for urging corresponding ones of said upper and lower articulating elements together.

Claim 6

In a dental articulator having a lower member for mounting a lower tooth model and an upper member for mounting an upper tooth model, the improvement comprising: a frame for supporting said upper member in a substantially horizontal plane, and preventing any horizontal movement thereof relative to said frame; two pairs of articulating elements each having an upper element mounted on said frame and a lower element connected to said lower member, said articulating elements being magnetized to urge said lower elements into contact with said corresponding upper elements, said upper articulating elements have substantially concave surfaces closely conforming to the surfaces of the fossae forming the upper members of a human mandibular joint, and said lower articulating elements have substantially convex surfaces closely conforming the surfaces of the mandibular condyles forming the lower members of a human mandibular joint; means for adjusting the lateral spacing of said pairs of articulating elements; and means for adjusting the angular orientation of each of said upper and lower articulating elements, whereby the spacing and angular orientation of said articulating elements can be adjusted in accordance with measured characteristics of a particular human mandibular joint; and wherein said lower member may be moved relative to said upper member while connected therewith only by said pairs of articulating elements, to provide an accurate simulation of human jaw movements.

Claim 7

In a dental articulator having a lower member for mounting a lower tooth model and an upper member for mounting an upper tooth model, the improvement comprising: a frame for supporting said upper member in a substantially horizontal plane, and preventing any horizontal movement thereof relative to said frame; two pairs of articulating elements each having an upper element mounted on said frame and a lower element connected to said lower member, said articulating elements being magnetized to urge said lower elements into contact with said corresponding upper elements, said upper articulating elements have substantially concave surfaces closely conforming to the surfaces of the fossae forming the upper members of a human mandibular joint, and said lower articulating elements have substantially convex surfaces closely conforming the surfaces of the mandibular condyles forming the lower members of a human mandibular joint; means for adjusting the lateral spacing of said pairs of articulating elements; and means for adjusting the angular orientation of each of said upper and lower articulating elements, whereby the spacing and angular orientation of said articulating elements can be adjusted in accordance with measured characteristics of a particular human mandibular joint; and wherein said lower member may be moved relative to said upper member while connected therewith only by said pairs of articulating elements, to provide an accurate simulation of human jaw movements.

Claim 8

The improvement in a dental articulator as set forth in claim 5, and further including means for locking said lower member rigidly to said frame, to secure said upper and lower members together in a particular relationship.