Dental articulator apparatus including molds incorporating positioning and retention means for upper and lower dental casts and portions thereof

A dental articulator kit for use by a dental technician for replicating in dental stone a “positive” tooth pattern from a “negative” tooth pattern provided by a dentist, said dental articulator kit comprising:

• a) a support stanchion having first and second opposing end edges;
• b) a mandibular dental articulator plate having upper and lower surfaces and at least one mold cavity integrally formed on said upper surface, said mandibular dental articulator plate being mounted on one of said opposing end edges of said support stanchion;
• c) a maxillary dental articulator plate having upper and lower surfaces and at least one mold cavity integrally formed on said lower surface, said maxillary dental articulator plate being mounted on the other of said end edges of said support stanchion whereby said mold cavities on said mandibular and maxillary dental articulator plates may be selectively disposed in confronting relation;
• d) an ejector plate having a plurality of ejector pins arranged in an arcuate series and manipulable to eject said “positive” dental stone replica cast in one of said mold cavities;
• e) a spacer plate having a plurality of apertures arranged in an arcuate series complementing in number and placement said arcuate series of ejector pins on said ejector plate;
• and
• f) press means including a base plate adapted to support said spacer plate and selectively manipulable when one or the other of said dental articulator plates is superimposed over said spacer plate and said ejector plate to cause said ejector pins in said ejector plate to eject a “positive” dental stone replica cast in said one or the other of said mold cavities.

A dental articulator kit for use by a dental technician for replicating in dental stone a “positive” tooth pattern from a “negative” tooth pattern provided by a dentist, said dental articulator kit comprising:

• a) a) a support stanchion having first and second opposing end edges;
• b) a mandibular dental articulator plate having upper and lower surfaces and at least one mold cavity integrally formed on said upper surface, said mandibular dental articulator plate being mounted on one of said opposing end edges of said support stanchion;
• c) a maxillary dental articulator plate having upper and lower surfaces and at least one mold cavity integrally formed on said lower surface, said maxillary dental articulator plate being mounted on the other of said end edges of said support stanchion whereby said mold cavities on said mandibular and maxillary dental articulator plates may be selectively disposed in confronting relation;
• and
• d) press means including a base plate having ejector pins mounted therein and projecting therefrom, said press means selectively manipulable when one or the other of said dental articulator plates is superimposed over said ejector pins to cause said ejector pins to eject a “positive” dental stone replica cast in said one or the other of said mold cavities.

As an article of manufacture, a dental articulator plate, comprising:

• a) a generally flat elongated base plate symmetrical in relation to a longitudinal axis and including opposed first and second surfaces;
• b) at least one mold cavity integrally formed on said base plate and having integral and continuous side and end walls projecting perpendicularly from said base plate to provide free side and end edges spaced from said base plate and defining said mold cavity and within which dental stone may be deposited;
• c) a plurality of apertures formed in said base plate within said at least one mold cavity and adapted to receive ejector pins that selectively penetrate said base plate and project into said cavity;
• d) a removable floor plate having a peripheral edge corresponding to the inner peripheral configuration of said mold cavity and adapted to lie within said cavity to cover said plurality of apertures and prevent the passage thereinto of dental stone deposited in said cavity and adapted to be impinged by said ejector pins to eject said hardened dental stone from said cavity;
• and
• e) a mounting portion formed on one end of said base plate for mounting said articulator plate on a support structure.