Analog module for reconversion of jaw movement information

An analog module for dental articulators, comprising:

• an elongated metallic support member having essentially the configuration of a flat strap,
• said member having a portion thereof adjacent each of its ends which is depressed downwardly to form a pedestal,
• each of said pedestals having an opening formed therein,
• the portion of said member intermediate said pedestals having a flat upper surface which is adapted to bear against the flat under surface of either a reconverter instrument upper frame or an articulator upper frame;
• a pair of analog blocks made of a hard plastic material, each of said blocks being integrally cast upon an associated one of said pedestals, so as to fill and project through the associated opening thereof;
• and
• means for removably attaching said support member to a corresponding instrument frame in a fixed position relative thereto;
• whereby when the module is attached to a reconverter instrument upper frame a pair of openings representing the jaw movement pattern of a patient may be formed in the lower sides of said blocks, and upon subsequently attaching the module to an articulator upper frame the relative positions of said block openings remain unchanged.

An analog module for use in dental articulators comprising:

• an elongated metallic support member having a pair of longitudinally spaced holes therein for removably attaching said support member to an articulator frame in fixed relationship thereto;
• and
• a pair of hard plastic blocks depending downwardly from respective ends of said support member, each block being integrally cast about a portion of said member in order to rigidly secure the same;
• whereby a pair of openings formed in said blocks to represent a jaw movement pattern may be supported in precisely fixed relative positions.

In a dental articulator, the combination comprising:

• a. a lower frame having a spaced pair of condyle spheres mounted in fixed positions thereon;
• b. an upper frame;
• c. an analog module including
• 1. an elongated metal support member having a spaced pair of retaining means formed thereon, and
• 2. a pair of hard plastic blocks at least partially encapsulating respective ones of said retaining means to thereby be held in fixed, spaced positions on said support member;
• and
• d. fastening means removably securing said module suppot member to said upper frame;
• said blocks having openings formed therein which cooperate with said spheres to reproduce the jaw movement pattern of a patient.

An analog module for use in a dental articulator, comprising:

• a unitary structure including a pair of simulated fossae having fixed lateral spacing therebetween, and means supporting said fossae in said fixed spacing;
• means on said unitary structure for fastening same underneath the upper frame of either a reconverter instrument or the articulator in a predetermined, fixed position relative thereto;
• each of said simulated fossae having formed in its under side a vertical reference opening whose upper end is hemispherical, the radius centers of said reference openings defining a hinge axis of the module;
• and
• means on the external lateral sides of said simulated fossae indicating said hinge axis of the module and adapted for alignment of the hinge axis of a transfer face bow therewith.

The method of reproducing jaw movements in an articulator, one of whose frames carries a pair of spherical stylii, comprising the steps of:

• selecting a unitary relatively rigid module including a spaced pair of fossae and means supporting the fossae in spaced relationship, to simulate an upper jaw;
• applying a pair of hemispherically-ended drills to said fossae to form openings therein;
• enlarging said openings in accordance with a particular patient's jaw movements to be reproduced;
• thereafter attaching said module to the other frame of the articulator;
• and
• engaging said enlarged openings of the fossae with the spherical stylii of the one frame of the articulator.

An analog module for use in dental articulators comprising:

• an elongated metallic support member adapted to be horizontally disposed beneath the upper frame of an articulator in generally parallel relationship thereto;
• a pair of hard plastic blocks, each integrally cast about a corresponding end portion of said support member and depending downwardly therefrom to provide a corresponding fossa;
• each of said simulated fossae having formed in its under side a vertical reference opening, one portion of which conforms to a hemispherical shape;
• means on the laterally outward sides of said fossae indicating a line which extends through the radius centers of said hemispherical portions of both of said openings, said line thereby denoting a hinge axis of the module;
• and
• said module including means for fixedly attaching same to the articulator frame with the hinge axis of the module generally parallel to the frame.