Abstract: A vertically adjustable rotational stabilizer (10) for a disposable articulator is provided. The articulator comprises a hinged pair of support arms, each support arm having a proximal end and a distal end, with the proximal ends of the support arms being hingedly fitted together. Each arm defines an opening or cavity between its distal and proximal ends. The vertically adjustable rotational stabilizer (10), in broad terms, comprises at least one body (30, 66) secured or securable to the support arms (14, 16) and positioned substantially within the opening defined by the support arm, and an elongate member (56) being adjustable relative to the at least one body so as to adjust and fix the distance between the distal ends of the support arms (14, 16).

Abstract: An analyte test strip vial having a restrictor to dispense analyte test strips in a controlled manner. In general, the restrictor includes one or more openings (e.g., central and/or arc-shaped openings) that are appropriately sized to facilitate the dispensing of a manageable number of analyte test strips from the vial container. The restrictor may also include one or more surface features (e.g., tabs, cavities, and/or tapered surfaces) to facilitate in the removal of analyte test strips, and the matting and/or removal of the restrictor from the vial container.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in dentistry to obtain positional data related to movement of a mandible about a maxilla comprises a rigid support frame for supporting a maxilla support member, a positionable mandibular member and sensing assemblies. The support member fixedly attaches to the support frame. The mandibular member is positionable proximate the maxilla member. The sensing assemblies attach to the support frame and connect to the mandibular member to obtain positional data related to the movement of the mandibular member. The positional data is collected by a computing device and stored in a data storage medium as time history files. The files can then be transformed into usable information to replicate the mandibular movement in real time either virtually or mechanically.

Abstract: A dental model tray (12) for use in forming a dental model has a rigid bottom wall (16) and a relatively thin side wall (17) extending upwardly from the perimeter of the bottom wall (16) to form an open-topped cavity which is adapted to receive the dental casting material. The bottom wall (16) and the side wall (17) are formed integrally of polymeric material, with the side wall (17) being joined to or attached to the bottom wall (16) by a thin membrane-like connector member (19) that is formed integrally with the perimeter of the bottom wall (16) and a lower side edge of the side wall (17). The connector member (19) is frangible and easily broken so that the side wall (17) can be torn away from the base and discarded after dental casting material has hardened in the cavity formed by the side wall (17). The dental model tray (12) further includes an ell-shaped articulator member (13,14) that extends from a back side of the bottom wall (16).

Abstract: A tooth mold retaining frame comprises an L shape seat; a pivotal block; a universal connector; a first positioning block; a second positioning block; and a first fine adjust unit. By using the first fine adjust unit, second fine adjust unit and the fine-adjust device, an upper teeth mold, and a lower teeth mold can move with respect to one another precisely. By a universal connector, the upper teeth mold can move three directionally and can lift or descend proportionally so as to avoid the error in manufacturing of the teeth mold. Thus the teeth mold can be made precisely and the condition of the teeth mold can be viewed conveniently. Furthermore, the teeth mold can be sent directly without needing to send the teeth frame. Thus, the manufacturer can make the teeth mold continuously without affecting the working time.

Abstract: To provide a dental surveyor apparatus that is especially used for processing comprehensively both clasp design and basal design of fabricating removable dentures, which is enable to place and remove easily and is secure after inserting.

Abstract: Disclosed is a dental model articulator to connect the upper and the lower dental model casts. A mounting member is respectively mounted on each upper and lower cast, and a pair of elastic connecting members are connected to the mounting members. A vertical bar of the elastic connecting member has an S-type serpentine portion. The cast can smoothly move to the front, rear, left and right side by the S-type serpentine portion. A fastening member connects and disconnects the elastic connecting member and the mounting member by fastening a socket of the mounting member. A pivot member connects each elastic connecting member enabling to be pivoted. Whereby, the connecting ball of the elastic connecting member and the socket of the mounting member are connected by the fastening member, therefore the connecting ball can be connected to and disconnected from the socket.

Abstract: A dental model articulator includes two hinge-jointed arms, each arm having segments connected to a hinge joint having mating elements, one integral to each segment of an arm. One element includes two cymbals that are coaxial on a major hinge axis and concave facing which resiliently capture between them a node of the mating element on the other segment which has the form of opposed, outwardly facing convexities. Multiaxial motion between the segments of each arm is accomodated by the rotation of the convexities of the node within detents at the apices of the cymbals. The extremities of each arm terminate in cylindrical rod-like elements that are parallel to the major hinge axis. The rods engage with transverse, cylindrical channels either cut-in, molded-in or affixed to the models. With the models positioned in centric occlusal relationship and the arms adjacently positioned and engaged, the four rods are adhesively fixed in the channels.

Abstract: A dental articulator structure for use in registration of a pair of casts of a dental model which are positioned in an opposing and spaced relationship. The articulator structure includes at least one axially rigid support member having opposing ends from which multi-piece cast attachment members may be orthogonally attached. The at least one axially rigid support member and the orthogonally attachable cast attachment members being an articulator structure that locates the axially rigid support member substantially close to the back molar face of the opposing pair of dental model casts such that confronting translational movement of the dental model casts is prevented in a plane parallel to the axially rigid support member, especially confronting translational movement in a region where back molars may be missing in a dental model.

Abstract: An articulator for a dental model consisting of two dental casts, includes two connecting members 16 for partial embedding in a settable material, a pair of connectors 14 and a hinge 12 consisting of two hinge elements 22. Each connecting member 16 forms one part of a spigot and socket joint and each pair of connectors 14 forms a second part of a spigot and socket joint. Each pair of connectors 14 has an interlocking formation for interlocking engagement with one of the hinge elements 22. The hinge elements 22 are pivotally linked and each has an interlocking formation complementary to the interlocking formations of the connectors 14.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for instrumental model analysis employing a mandibular dental model support pivotally carried on a maxillary dental model support to simulate hinge movements of the lower jaw. The mandibular model support includes a base plate with two vertically extending and spaced apart columns, each column supporting a condylar head, the connection line of the two heads defining the instrumental hinge axis. The condylar heads are individually adjustable in a tridimensional manner to vary the position and orientation of the instrumental hinge axis.

Abstract: A model of the human head having a movable lower jaw is used in the analysis of gnathological relationships. The model receives reproductions of a dental patient's upper and lower dental arches and simulates the functional movements which occur during mastication and, in so doing, permits visual observation of the mandibular joints so that a course of therapy may be chosen.

Abstract: An articulator device for establishing the articulated movement of a mandible of a jaw relative to a maxilla of a jaw comprising a lower part, an upper part positioned above the lower part and having two spaced apart condylar houses each including an outer vertical frame, a middle horizontal frame and an inner vertical frame, each for mounting a sheet or plate having a curvalinear edge surface representing movement of a mandible, and first and second condylar rods each adjustably mounted to the lower part and having an upper vertical rod portion and an upper horizontal rod portion.

Abstract: An articular support system for dental model sets includes a fixture having an upper portion carried by a lower base portion. The base portion has a base plate which connects with an inner support post. This post is formed with a vertically extending inner passageway. The upper portion includes an inner and outer plate connected by a releasable hinge. To use the system a base of a dental model of a person's upper teeth and lower teeth are each molded with front and rear indentations. Each model then fits into a bracket having spaced apart end walls. On an inner side of each end wall is a locking tab that fits into the respective model indentations. The lower teeth model bracket next is affixed to the fixture base plate with mastic. The upper model teeth then are placed in contact with the lower model teeth to reproduce the bit that occurs inthe person's mouth. Next, the upper portion inner plate is loosely positioned in the base portion post passageway.

Abstract: This invention relates to a physiological stereo articulator comprises a maxillary mechanism and a mandibular mechanism, and the lower frame member in the mandibular mechanism can turn about a center which is shifting while opening and closing as the human mandible does, and at the same time with the shifting of the center of turning, the vertical swinging of the lower frame member is caused. This construction permits simulation of the movement of the lower frame member to practical movement of the human mandible.

Abstract: A dental fixator device includes a vertical staff, an upper horizontal arm, a lower horizontal arm, and a pair of clamps on each of the two arms, one of the clamps of each arm being adjacent the rear thereof and slidable on a jig towards the front clamp of the arm, each pair of clamps thereby holding releasably a dental model or cast against the associated arm. The clamps can be pivoted in a horizontal plane and include barrel-shaped serrated gripping surfaces on opposite ends thereof. Each arm has a front flange through which a longitudinal screw runs to the jig for moving the jig along the arm. The upper arm is connected to a cylinder, in turn connected to the staff so that the arm can be rotated around its longitudinal axis. The front end of the cylinder may be pivotably connected to the upper arm and locked in position at a selected angle to the cylinder to accommodate work on the dental models or casts borne on the arms.

Abstract: A dental articulator principally having a posterior articulating assembly, an anterior incisal support assembly and a mold assembly. The posterior articulating assembly is characterized by a ball and socket joint and a pivot joint. The ball and socket joint has a socket member which is operably coupled to the pivot joint and a ball member which is operably coupled to a first teeth cast. The pivot joint has a pivot member operably coupled to a support member for joining the pivotal joint to a second teeth cast. The anterior incisal support assembly has an incisal pin operably joined to the first teeth cast and an incisal plate, which cooperates with the incisal pin, joined to the second teeth cast.

Abstract: Apparatus for accurately placing orthodontic brackets on the lingual or labial surface of a model of a patient's maloccluded teeth in conjunction with an indirect bonding procedure or the like. A model support incorporates an immovable base forming a spherical surface segment which receives a complimentary spherical surface segment of a movable model platform thus providing for rotation of the platform in all planes of space about a centroid region. The maloccluded model is placed on the movable platform with a selected tooth thereof located at the central region of a sphere of which the spherical surface segments form a part. A tooth orienting template is releasably supported in fixed relation to the base structure and is selected according to the centrally positioned tooth of the model. The optimum position of the selected tooth relative to an optimum dental arch at the labial surface thereof is identified for bracket attachment to the labial surface.

Abstract: A dental articulator includes a pair of attachment members, each adapted to engage a dental casting and a hinge unit including two pivotably interconnected retaining members, each adapted to engage one of the attachment members by means of a joint which may be selectively and reversibly immobilized. The two retaining members are interconnected by a hinge which provides a pair of spaced apart pivot axes for pivoting each of said members and which further provides for the ready and reversible separation thereof.

Abstract: In a dental articulator for simulating movements of a mandible relative to an upper jaw, comprising an upper part (2, 4) adapted to carry an upper jaw model (7), a lower part (1) adapted to carry a lower jaw model (8), and a hinge (13, 13) connecting said upper and lower parts, the hinge defining an axis (A-B) extending substantially horizontally in a plane extending substantially perpendicularly to the upper and lower parts for articulating said upper part with respect to the lower part about the hinge axis: the invention provides two pins (18) displaceably mounted in a first laterally extending slot (22) in the upper part (4), the pins extending downwardly from the upper part and being adapted to be fixed in said first slot, a constraining bar (19) fixed to said lower part (1), the constraining bar having a constraining edge in front of said plane and facing rearwardly towards said hinge axis, and the constraining edge being engageable with said pins (18) and spaced from the axis a distance corresponding to

Abstract: A mounting apparatus for a dental articulator including a stationary base, a rigid support member extending from the base and an upper clamp for releasably receiving and supporting the articulator upper member. An adjustable support piece is retained on the rigid support member and is adapted to contact the articulator lower member to limit the lowermost position thereof while permitting at least lateral movement of the articulator lower member relative to the articulator upper member to thus stimulate human jaw movements.

Abstract: A dental articulator wherein each of two pivotally joined arms carries a plate-like first support and a shallow trough-shaped second support which confines a mass of synthetic thermoplastic material serving to couple the second support to the first support. If the position of the second support relative to the first support is to be adjusted, the mass of thermoplastic material is plasticized so that such mass then acts not unlike a universal joint which enables the two supports to assume any one of an infinite number of different positions relative to each other. Each second support can carry a dental model and can be provided with a magnetic insert to attract a complementary magnet of the model.

Abstract: An induction heating process and apparatus for flameless heating of metallic dental laboratory tools, medical instruments, and the like. The induction heating coil is energized by placement of instruments within the annular zone formed by the windings of the coil, and differential light sensors are utilized to compensate for variations in ambient light levels.

Abstract: A mechanism for locking a dental model in a desired position of adjustment includes a sphere, an elongated member extending through an opening in the sphere, and means for gripping the sphere in a selected rotational position while at the same time gripping the elongated member in a selected longitudinal position.

Abstract: Dental articulators have conventionally been constructed so as to utilize a lower assembly including a mandibular bow and an upper assembly including a maxillary bow connected together through the use of simulated condyles and fossa in such a manner as to permit movement between the two bows simulating the movement of the maxillary teeth relative to the mandibular teeth. The utility of such articulators can be improved through the use of a latch structure connecting the upper and lower assemblies in such a manner as to permit such movement and in such a manner as to permit the upper assembly to be moved into stable positions in which the maxillary bow extends substantially vertically from the mandibular bow and in which the maxillary bow and the mandibular bow both face upwardly.

Abstract: An improved articulator for monitoring and correcting masticatory surfaces of the upper and lower jaw portions of a dental prosthesis model is provided. The improved articulator includes a frame and two reproduction bodies movably mounted on the frame that are respectively designed to carry an upper and lower jaw portion of a dental prosthesis. Articulation means connected to the reproduction bodies move the bodies three-dimensionally in relation to one another to copy the articulative movements of a patient. Compensation means connected to at least one of the reproduction bodies provides three-dimensional adjustment of a jaw model portion in relation to the reproductive body, when the jaw model is attached to the body.