Dentistry – Apparatus – Work support
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-08
2001-10-09
Manahan, Todd E. (Department: 3732)
Dentistry
Apparatus
Work support
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299442
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to dental articulators, and, in particular, to a dental articulator which can be re-calibrated in the field.
Many different types of articulators are known in the art. They are used by dentists and dental laboratories to make dental prostheses on upper and lower casts of the patient's teeth that are in proper alignment, to make sure they will fit properly in the patient's mouth when they are in place. The dentist takes impressions of the patient's teeth and pours molds of the upper and lower arches using the impressions, and amounts the arches into the dentist's articulator, taking care to be sure the arches remain properly aligned. The dentist then sends those mounted arches to a dental laboratory to have the dental prosthesis, such as a bridge or set of false teeth made, and the dental laboratory uses the same type of articulator to be sure the prosthesis it makes will fit properly in the patient's mouth.
These articulators are carefully calibrated in the factory to be sure the castings will fit the same for every dentist and lab using the same type of articulator. If the articulator is dropped on the floor or otherwise jarred so as to put it out of alignment, the dentist or lab will send it back to the factory for recalibration. This means that there is a lag time during which the dentist or lab does not have the use of its articulator, and it means that there will be an expense involved in recalibrating the articulator. Some manufacturers of articulators have made products that can be recalibrated in the field, but they are either very difficult to use or do not have enough degrees of adjustment to ensure that they can be brought back into proper alignment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of the present invention is to provide an articulator that can be recalibrated by the dentist or lab quickly, accurately, and easily, without requiring the articulator to be returned to the factory.
The present invention provides an articulator in which the parts involved in pivoting the articulator include two condyle elements, each shaped like a dumbbell having two spherical ends connected together by a shaft. In the preferred embodiment, each inner spherical element mounts to the respective receptacles on the upper frame of the articulator, and each outer spherical element is fixed by a clamp onto the lower frame of the articulator. To recalibrate the articulator, the dentist or lab technician simply loosens the clamp screws on the clamp holding the left and right outer spherical elements, secures lockout levers on the upper frame of the articulator, mounts a calibration device on the articulator to put the upper and lower frame members into proper alignment, and then re-tightens the clamp screws. Due to the shape and mounting arrangement of the condyle elements, the condyle elements can be shifted relative to the lower frame member in any direction along the outer spheres in order to put the articulator into alignment, and the alignment can all be done with one simple adjustment that is very accurate and easy to do. The clamp screws preferably have an unusually-shaped head requiring a special tool that is kept in a secure place, so that casual visitors to the dental office or dental lab will not be able to attempt recalibration just by using a regular screwdriver.
While the embodiment of the invention shown herein is used on a simple articulator, without adjustments, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that it can also be used on a much more complicated articulator having various adjustments.
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Chen Jesse
Shiao John
Steinbock Allen
Camoriano Theresa Fritz
Camoriano & Associates
Manahan Todd #E.
Whip Mix Corporation
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