Automated dental articulator and method for training and practicing dental procedures

A dental training apparatus for supporting a dental model having a lower jaw portion supporting lower teeth thereon and an upper jaw portion supporting upper teeth thereon, the apparatus comprising:

• a dental articulator comprising (i) a lower frame member arranged to support the lower jaw portion of the dental model thereon, (ii) an upper frame member arranged to support the upper jaw portion of the dental model thereon, and (iii) a first hinge assembly coupling the lower frame member to the upper frame member so as to be pivotal relative to one another about a jaw axis of the first hinge assembly;
• a supporting assembly supporting the dental articulator thereon comprising (i) a supporting frame member, and (ii) a second hinge assembly coupling the supporting frame member to a primary frame member among the lower frame member and the upper frame member such that said primary frame member is pivotal relative to the supporting frame member about a tilt axis of the second hinge assembly;
• at least one of the hinge assemblies comprising a controlled hinge assembly including an actuator operatively connected between the frame members of the controlled hinge assembly;
• and
• a controller operatively connected to the actuator of the controlled hinge assembly so as to be arranged to controllably pivot the frame members relative to one another such that the frame members of the controlled hinge assembly assume a prescribed angular orientation of the controlled hinge assembly relative to one another.