DE9207731U1 - Dental articulator - Google Patents

Description

In particular, the main patent application P 40 40 585.0 dated December 18, 1990 described a new dental articulator. This offers the possibility of a rotation axis with movable condylar balls, using condylar boxes similar to those of non-arcon articulators, to change the intercondylar distance and to program movement parameters such as side shift or laterosur, de-, re- or protrusion. This dental articulator also has the option of extending the condylar columns and varying the distance from the articulator upper jaw arm to the hinge axis. Of course, it was intended that the incisal pin be changeable to the same extent.

Additional applications were made during development, one of which is particularly noteworthy, which describes that the condylar boxes make it possible to change the joint path inclination and the Bennett angle in one step using a specific spherical cap arrangement.

However, the actual joint path is predetermined or can only be individually changed within a certain limit range.

It must therefore be made clear that the range of motion of an individually shaped condylar box insert of a normal Arcon articulator is not achieved with these applications.

The object of the invention is therefore to integrate joint boxes based on the basic principle of the spherical cap-like movement, which also simultaneously allow the joint path inclination and the Bennett angle to be adjusted and which also allow the possibility of integrating individual inserts or being replaced by individual inserts.

A particular problem that must be highlighted is that the distal joint box wall also assumes a certain angular position to the hinge axis when the Bennett angle is changed, so that it is necessary to make this wall separately movable.

Furthermore, in contrast to the previous applications, the lower shaft is replaced by medially oriented condyles on both sides, which at the end provide an adjustable lateral range of motion for the side shift. With an additional separate movement of the distal joint box wall, it is possible to simultaneously achieve lateroprotrusion and retrusion with the side shift. The intercondylar distance is fixed on the one hand and can be changed in one variant by the adjustable distance of the condylar processes to the condylar columns, while at the same time it is possible to additionally change the condylar columns themselves in the area of the articulator mandibular arm by means of a rotationally stable lateral or medial movement, which means that the intercondylar distance itself can be adjusted to a greater extent in addition. The side-shift movement was solved in such a way that the condyles can be fixed in the end position by a spring-loaded bolt device and that they can be moved laterally by spring-guided release via the pitch of the adjustment screw, which enables smooth gliding in the side-shift movement.

The distal condylar box wall has an arm that corresponds to the spherical cap adjustment mechanism so that the distal condylar box wall performs a circular movement around this center of rotation.

Ultimately, it is necessary that the condylar balls can be locked, which is ensured in a preferred embodiment by a screw mechanism, whereby an additional spring element arranged caudal to the condylar box prevents the lower jaw arm from being accidentally separated from the upper jaw arm, which can ultimately lead to the destruction of the prosthetic base material (e.g. the models).

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Show

Figure 1 is a schematic side view

the integrated condylar box element with its spherical cap guide,

Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of the caudal view of the condylar box with integrated condyle,

Figure 3 schematically shows the possibility of

individual condylar adjustment with adjustable side-shift,

Figure 4 schematically illustrates the possibility of

To change the condylar columns laterally to a defined extent.

Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of the integrated condylar box element (1) with its spherical cap guide (2,3,26). The figure was drawn in such a way that a "zero" position of all elements is shown. We can see the actual condylar box (1) with its integrated condyle (6), which is screwed onto the extension (7). The distal condylar box wall (8) can be varied via extensions (9) around the symmetrical axis of rotation (27), which at the same time represents the radius to the condyle (6) in its extension. Furthermore, the entire element (2,28) with its additional parts on the spherical cap can be pivoted in the travel range (4) and rotated about the threaded axis (10/27), whereby the rotational movement can be indicated in the figure shown by an indicator (12) and whereby the elements can be fixed to the element (2,3) by a fixation nut (13), which creates the connection to the upper jaw arm (11,..). This connection to the articulator upper jaw arm (11) can only be seen in outline via a block not shown here.

In the practical procedure, the joint path inclination and the Bennett angle of element (1) are adjusted by loosening the fixation nut (13), while the distal condylar box wall (8) is moved over the boom (9), which travels a circular segment around axis (27) so that it always rests in the centric position of the condyle (6).

Figure 2 shows a schematic view of the condyle box (1) from caudal, also in neutral position. Here it is also clear that the condyle (6) is worked on the extension (7), which can now be fixed in the sleeve (15) or can be slidably supported by releasing the side shift. The screw mechanism (14) indicates a possibility of holding the condyle (6) in a centric position.

to lock. The possibility of an elastic holding element, which is similar to that used in Arcon articulators, to secure the articulator—lower jaw arm—against accidental loosening, is not shown.

Figure 3 shows a schematic cross-section through a condylar column (20), where it can be seen that the sleeve element (15) can be released or locked using the fixation screw (21) to change the intercondylar distance and where a correspondingly perforated axial bearing bush (19) is integrated for better sliding ability. At the same time, Figure 3 shows that the condyle is locked in this position by the bolt element (16), while after defined release by the knurled screw (29) it allows a defined spring-loaded travel path laterally. It should also be added that the extension (7) is machined to fit in the sleeve (15).

Figure 4 shows schematically an additional possibility, in addition to Figure 3, to change the intercondylar distance even further by having the mandibular articulator arm slotted (23) in the area of the condylar column (20) and by having the condylar column (20) have a rotationally stable through-piece (22) that mutually receives a threaded fixation nut (25), which simultaneously serves as a foot of the condylar column (20).

Claims (8)

EXPECTATIONS 1. Dental articulator, characterized in that it is suitable for changing the condylar box (1,8) simultaneously in the sagittal and frontal planes via a ball cap guide (2,3,26), whereby the condylar ball (6) remains at rest and this situation can be fixed by means of a screw element (10/27) via a nut (13). 2. Dental articulator according to claim 1, characterized in that the distal condylar box wall (8) forms a circular arc around the central axis (27), whereby the condylar ball (6) remains unchanged in its position. 3. Dental articulator according to claim 1, 2, characterized in that the spherical cap guide (26) has a defined travel path (3, 4). 4. Dental articulator according to at least one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the condylar box (1) is replaceable and that it preferably has a predetermined articular path inclination with its distal condylar box wall. 5. Dental articulator according to at least one of claims 1-4, characterized in that the condylar box (1, 8) can be simultaneously secured by means of a screw (13). 6. Dental articulator according to at least one of claims 1-5, characterized, that a preferred screw element (14) ensures a condylar locking, whereby for example, a flexible caudal limiting element ensures that an unintentional release of the articulator lower jaw arm is prevented. 7. Dental articulator according to at least one of claims 1-6, characterized, that on the one hand the intercondylar distance can be changed by means of the sleeve element (15) which has the extension (7) of the condyle (6) and on the other hand the condylar ball (6) can be locked by means of the bolt (16) and the stop (30), whereby the spring element (18) and screw (29) ensure that a defined travel path of the side shift can be programmed. 8. Dental articulator according to at least one of claims 1-7, characterized, that the articulatoi-mandibular arm (24) is slotted (23) and here accommodates the extension (22) of the condylar column (20) in a rotationally stable manner, which can be fixed caudally by nut (25) and in this function simultaneously serves as the foot of the articulator column (20).