Abstract: A dental pantograph capable of measuring mandibulary movement includes right and left side housings have orthogonally located X, Y and Z scales. The housing further includes X, Y and Z scale transducers for reading reference marks on the respective scales. The scales are slidable with respect to the transducers. The housings are located adjacent to engagement members with one of the housing or the engagement member associated with the mandible and the other associated with the maxilla. The scales extend between the housing and the engagement member and move with respect to the transducers in the housing by movement between the housing and the engagement member. The transducers produce electrical output signals which are fed to an appropriate signal processor, such as a microprocessor, for producing a readout indicating the mandibulary movement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing prosthodontic work comprises a face bow formed from a plate which supports impression styli which, when removed from the patient's head, is incorporated as the upper arm of the dental articulator. At least one, but preferably two, impression receptacles containing impressionable material are detachably secured to a lower face bow in registration with the stylus on the upper face bow to form the impression. Each receptacle is removed from the lower face bow after age hardening of the impression, and is secured to an articulator base at a position which maintains registration between the stylus and the impression formed in the receptacle. The impression formed thus forms a condylar guide hinge for mounting the upper arm of the articulator, preferably the upper face bow to the base, for simulating the condylar movement of a particular patient with respect to dental impressions to be used in forming dental prostheses to be worn by the patient.

Abstract: A method for cephalometric quantitation of the morphology and growth of a patient is provided comprising the steps of making a lateral cephalometric X-ray of the patient, registering an X-ray with the analyzer, registering anatomic landmarks to determine coordinates of cephalometric readings sought to be quantified with said analyzer, summating the linear size, proportion and angular relationship of variants comprising the cephalometric regions and recording of results of the summating step for future reference. The method identifies areas of facial disharmony and quantifies the degree of change in the surgical repositioning of dento-facial structures. The analyzer used in the present invention can comprise a computer which permits instantaneous summation and therefore instant comparative analysis for purposes of treatment.

Abstract: An apparatus for the contactless measuring of the movement in three dimensions of the jaw and of the condyle in the temporo-mandibular joint respectively comprising opto-electronic signal transmitters and signal receivers between which light signals are transmitted. In one embodiment, a measuring head having light transmitters and light receivers mounted therein is secured to the lower jaw and moves with the lower jaw relative to reflecting plates. The light receivers generate signals varying with the length of the light path between the transmitter and the receiver and thus represent the movement of the lower jaw. In a second embodiment, the light transmitters generate collimated beams of light and are fixed to move with the lower jaw with respect to light receivers which have biaxial position sensitivity to the transmitted light beams. In a third embodiment, light beam transmitters are moved with the lower jaw relative to gratings so as to generate light pulses corresponding to movement of the lower jaw.

Abstract: This invention relates to a face bow for a mandibular motion diagnostic device and more particularly to a face bow as a component of a device for measuring a patient's mandibular motion and reproducing it precisely by the use of a mandibular model on the basis of the measured data. The face bow is attached in a fixed positional relationship to the patient's mandible as measurement is taken of the motion thereof and is shifted onto the mandibular model upon completion of the measurement so that the patient's dental arch in its actual position is precisely reproduced in the mandibular model.

Abstract: The simulator includes an upper and lower facebow for mounting on a patient to record and later reproduce the three dimensional movements of the patient's mandible. The upper frame has two receptacles mounted thereon having a bore opening toward the anterior portion of the facebow. A molding material is disposed within the receptacles and the lower frame has two styli projecting into the receptacles for indenting the molding material to make an innerocclusal record during the movement of the patient's mandible. The frames are then removed and dental casts are affixed to the frames. The innerocclusal record formed in the molding material is used to reproduce all of the patient's mandibular movements.

Abstract: A system for illuminating respective lamps to indicate the deviation from an optimum position of a kinesiograph sensor array in the anterior/posterior, vertical and lateral directions. The lamps are mounted on a panel in three sets of two corresponding to the three orthogonal axes. The panel is positioned on the chest of a patient during use so that it is in the same field of vision as the sensor array.

Abstract: A dental diagnostic device is disclosed, wherein the mandibular motion is created as that which results from synthesis of three-dimensional motions of three points to be measured. It is converted into movement of three reference points for reproduction corresponding to the individual points to be measured and the motion resulting from synthesis of the three-dimensional motions at the respective reference points for reproduction is reproduced in or by the use of the mandibular model. Hence no approximate computing processing or the like is needed, there is no room for errors except those in the measuring and reproducing systems and theoretically it is possible to reproduce with a high precision the patient's mandibular motion by the use of a three-dimensional model of the mandible.

Abstract: The illustrated embodiment employs a field generator, preferably a magnetic field generator, field flux pick-ups arranged at an interval therefrom, as well as an electronic device for the three-dimensional comprehension and evaluation of electrical signals arising in a field flux or a change of field flux. For displaying random points (P.sub.2 . . . P.sub.n) of the lower jaw (1), means are provided which identify the geometrical attitude of the points with respect to a fixed-body coordinate system (x.sub.o, y.sub.o, Z.sub.o) allocated to the lower jaw whose origin and rotational center is the measuring point (P.sub.1). Further, a coordinate converter is provided which converts the coordinates (x.sub.o, y.sub.o, z.sub.o) related to the lower jaw into the coordinates (.DELTA.x.sub.2, .DELTA.y.sub.22 .DELTA.z.sub.2) of the stationary coordinate system (X, Y, Z). Further, summing amplifiers are provided which add the adjustment magnitudes (.DELTA.x.sub.2, .DELTA.y.sub.2, .DELTA.z.sub.

Abstract: The simulator includes a maxillary and mandibular facebow, a maxillary and mandibular support and an incisal pin. Receptacles are mounted on the ends of the side arms of the maxillary facebow, and the side arms of the mandibular facebow have styli disposed thereon projecting into the receptacles of the maxillary facebow. Means are provided on both the facebows for the attachment of labial cores and/or bite rims and means are provided on both the supports for the attachment of study casts.The invention also includes a method, using the simulator to record jaw movements.

Abstract: A device for making it possible to visually provide a thorough knowledge of the activities of the masticatory muscles by optically measuring and displaying the EMG potential of the masticatory muscles at the time of matication for use in correcting abnormal and unbalance occlusion patterns. The device comprises a plurality of sets of electrodes (8) and (9) each set consisting of a pair of right and left electrodes, said electrodes being designed to be attached to the surfaces of the masseter and temporal muscles in both sides so as to detect electromyographic potentials in time of mastication, a means (A) for converting the electromyographic potentials detected by said electrodes (8) and (9) respectively into electrical signals for display, a display means (C) for selectively energizing said means (C) in response to the signal, the means (C) including display lines (L.sub.1) and (L.sub.2) of light-emitting members (12) and (13) which are independent of one another for each of the electrodes (8) and (9).

Abstract: An aligning assembly for use in dentistry, particularly in prosthodontics and/or orthodontics includes two plates each of which is to be positioned in the oral cavity of a patient at the upper jaw and to the lower jaw, respectively. One of the plates has a projection which, subsequent to an initial positioning of the plates in the oral cavity, and while the patient moves the lower jaw relative to the upper jaw, provides a centering mark on the other plate. At least the other plate is of an inexpensive, easily deformable material so that, upon removal of the jaw plates from the oral cavity, a recess can be provided in the place of the centering mark on the other plate. When the two plates are repositioned in the oral cavity to be connected to each other to form the assembly, the projection is partially received in the recess and fixes the plates with respect to each other against misalignment while they are being connected.

Abstract: To reproduce jaw movements, electric distance measuring devices are fixed at the lower jaw and the upper jaw in the mouth of a patient to measure, with relative movements between upper and lower jaws, the distances between defined points of the two jaws and to supply the data to a memory. In accordance with the recorded measuring data a mobile portion of an articulator carrying a jaw model is so guided that it reproduces the recorded sequence of motion, the combinations of the measured distances between the defined points of lower jaw and upper jaw being repeated in the same way as in the measuring operation.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for recording motion of the mandible relative to the maxilla in reconstructive dentistry comprises a lateral bar (16) attachable to the upper jaw. A pair of stylii (22) are mounted for spring-assisted vertical movement in the bar (16) for cooperation with an underlying tracing plate (36) attachable to the lower jaw. The apparatus (10) can be utilized with patients having dentulous or edentulous mouths. In the preferred embodiment, an adjustable bearing pin assembly (72) is utilized to control minimum spacing between the upper and lower jaws during recordation of the mandibular motion.

Abstract: A tracing device for mandibular movement comprises mainly an upper jaw plate, a lower jaw plate and a coupling device, and the device is able to be mounted in the oral cavity of a patient regardless of whatever the patient is dentulous or edentulous. A recording method therewith can be carried out without elevation of the occlusal vertical dimension of a patient. An accurate recordiing of the jaw relation is taken by recording on the device an occlusal vertical dimension and an incisal guide angle which are settled in a prosthesis, and recording the mandibular position three dimensionally. Another feature of the device is to enable the reproduction of the record on the articulator. By recording the mandibular position and the mandibular movement with the device, the occlusal reconstruction based on the full mouth rehabilitation which has been regarded conventionally a most difficult prothesis method is carried out accurately.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, a magnetic field generator is arranged directly on the body or at an interval therefrom, and is designed in such manner that it generates a defined irregular field. For determining the field flux, a plurality of magnetic flux pick-ups with magnetic flux-dependent sensor elements are arranged on a carrier at an interval from one another in at least two, preferably in three, planes which stand perpendicular to one another. Moreover, the arrangement is executed in such manner that a free space is formed between the magnetic flux pick-ups corresponding to the intervals therebetween. The device is suited in particular for employment in dental medicine, and, namely, for the determination of lower jaw movements in a patient.

Abstract: An articulator for observing occlusion, in which the movement of the mandible with respect to the maxillary is transmitted exactly to a mandibular cast so as to cause an identical movement of the latter, and which can reproduce repeatedly the movement as it was at a desired time by tracing the condyle paths which are automatically formed in solid material by cutting tools mounted on members connected to the mandibular cast.

Abstract: A system for simulating the condyle movements, for use in forming dental protheses, comprises a sensing apparatus including structures engageable with the cranium and mandible arch, and a reproducing apparatus which repeats the mastication movements sensed by sensing apparatus. The mastication movements are sensed by inductive sensors mounted on the sensing apparatus.

Abstract: An upper frame including parallel side arms is supported on the patient's ears and attached to a transverse rod supported on the bridge of the patient's nose. A record plate depends from each side arm overlying each of the patient's temporomandibular joints. A lower frame is attached to the lower jaw by means of an adjustable clutch. Adjustable side arms carrying movable styluses engage the record plates on the upper frame. Movement of the styluses over the record plates is monitored to obtain measurements of the joint movements. A tooth separator swingably mounted on the transverse rod of the lower frame separates the rear teeth slightly when the jaw movements are being measured. After the hinge axis position has been located on the record plates, an adjustable straight edge is utilized to indicate the true horizontal plane of reference formed by the two hinge axis points and the point on the patient's nose.