BALKWILLS ANGLE FOR COMPLETE DENTURES

FINN TENGS CHRISTENSEN, L.D.S.

Stavanger, Norway
V
ARIATIONS IN THE SIZE of Balkwills angle influence the cusp angulation or the
sagittal inclination of cuspless posterior teeth in complete dentures. The Balk-
will angle is the inclination of Bonwills triangle to the plane of occlusion, measured
in the median plane (Fig. 1). According to Balkwilll the size of the angle varies
from 22 to 30 degrees, with an average of 26 degrees. This statement was ques-
tioned by Kbhler,* who uses a mean value of 21 to 22 degrees. Hart3 reports 20
degrees, and BergstrGm4 found a mean value of 18 degrees roentgenographically
with the extremes at 12 and 24 degrees, but with one instance of 8 degrees.
The object of this article is not to discuss the size of Balkwills angle but to
clarify how variations in it influence the cusp angulation or the inclination of cusp-
iess posterior teeth in complete dentures.
INFLUENCE OF BALKWILLS ANGLE ON THE CHRISTENSEN ANGLE
The calculation of the cusp angulation for complete dentures is based on the
Christensen phenomenon and depends on certain suppositions in the calculation of
the Christensen angle. 5 It is necessary, therefore, to examine how the size of Balk-
wills angle influences the Christensen angle. The formula for the Christensen angle
is:sine[(p +-p) +y] =sine(p+q) +p/ a sine p (Formula II), where p is the
inclination of the condylar guidance, cp is the Balkwill angle, y is the Christensen
angle, p is the length of protrusion, and a is the height in Bonwills triangle.6
The calculation of the Christensen angle in Table I is based on this formula. The
angle is calculated for variations in the size of the Balkwill angle as well as in the
inclination of the condylar guidance. The protrusion (p) and the height in Bonwills
triangle (a) remained constant.
According to Table I the Christensen angle (7) increases when the Balkwill
angle (g) decreases, except when the condylar guide inclination (p) equals 15 de-
grees. The ratio is inverted in this situation. To clarify such an amazing result, the
relationship of various Balkwill angles in connection with condylar guide inclina-
tions near 15 degrees was investigated. Table II contains a selected range of con-
dylar guide inclinations from 5 degrees to 30 degrees, but otherwise it is calculated
in the same way as Table I.
A certain conformity is maintained regarding the Christensen angle (7) and
the differeltce between the condylar guide inclination and Balkwills angle (p +- p)
*Assistant Professor, Norwegian State Dental School, Oslo, Norway.
95
06
CHRISTENSEN
J. 1~s. Um.
.Inn.-Frh., 1960
(Table II). This conformity is especially marked when the condylar guide inclina-
tion (/3) is equal to 20 degrees and the Balkwill angle is, respectively, equal to
30 degrees and 10 degrees. The Christensen angle is in both cases, the same size
(1.15 degrees). The difference between the condylar guide inclination (20 degrees)
and the Balkwill angle (10 degrees and 30 degrees, respectively) is in either instance
equal to 10 degrees. The other columns show the same relationship; the Christen-
sen angle increases when the difference between the condylar guide inclination and
the Balkwill angle increases. As a result the cusp angulation, or the inclination of
cuspless posterior teeth, varies also because of the relationship between Christensens
angle and the cusp angulation.
The influence of the Balkwill angle on the Christensen angle is so slight that the
alteration of the cusp angulation or the tilting (inclination) of cuspless posterior
teeth is insignificant. For example, if the condylar guide inclination is equal to 30
degrees and the Balkwill angle is altered from 30 to 10 degrees, the corresponding
Fig. I.-The Balkwill angle (LAD) is the inclination of Bonwills triangle to the plane of
occlusion.
difference in the size of the Christensen angle is 0.11 degree with 5 mm. of man-
dibular protrusion (Table II). The influence on the cusp height of the difference
mentioned is less than 0.1 mm., and the corresponding influence on the inclination
of cuspless posterior teeth is less than 1 degree. This is of no importance. With a
condylar guide inclination of 20 degrees, even a theoretic difference does not exist
in the size of Christensens angle when the Balkwill angle is equal to 10 degrees and
30 degrees, respectively. The greatest difference (p = 45 degrees) influences the
cusp height by less than 0.2 mm. and affects the inclination of a cuspless second
molar by less than 3 degrees. Therefore, the influence of the Balkwill angle on the
cusp angulation and on the inclination of cuspless posterior teeth for complete den-
tures is not of practical significance.
SIMPLIFIED FORMULA FOR THE CHRISTENSEN ANGLE
Because of the slight influence of the Balkwill angle on the Christensen angle,
the formula for the Christensen angle may be simplified. The size of the Balkwill
angle is made equal to the inclination of the condylar guidance (p = P) in the
I.\RI.E: I. THE SIZE OF THE CHRISENSEN ANGLE WHEN THE BALKWILL ANGLE VARIES FKOM
30 ro 10 AND THE CONDYLAR GUDE IXLINATION VARIES FROM 15 ro 45
I
UP I
p ~
30 26 22 i 180 14O 10
\ ~
,
-----,
--____--
19 0.88 1 0.87 0.86 0.86 0.86 / 0.86
--__ -.-___ _____
30 1.65 i 1.66 ; 1.68 1.700 i 1.73 i 1.76 --
.-___
45 I- 2.44 /
- ___--.
2.50 2.57 2.65 2.76 2.91
(p = Balkaills angle
5 = condylar guide inclination
Mandibular protrusion = 5 mm
TABLE II. THE SIZE OF THE CHRISTENSEN ANGLE WHEN THE BALKWILL ANGLE VARIES FROM
30 TO 10 AND THE CONDYLAR GUIDE INCLINATION VARIES FROM 5 TO 30
-~-___ ~-~_--__ ~
___~. ~~_
\
I
; )
1
/
I
\\ cp /
I
\
30
26 ~
22 I 18
s\
\I
/ 1c / 10
I
..- __- -..- - ---- - --._-- ---__-- -~-~-_.~_ _
5 I 0.32 0.30 0.30 / 0.29 ( 0.29
-.-__ -
10 0.61 0.60 0.59 1 0.58 I
~--!?I--
0.57 0.57
1.5
i-
0.88 0.87 1 0.86 0.86 ( 0.86 I 0.86
20 1 1.15 / 1.14 i 1.13
I
1.13 1.14 1.15
25 j 1.40 j 1.40 / 1.40 1 l.41 1 1.43 ! 1.45
30 1 1.65
(D = Balkwills angle
1.66 1.68 j 1.70
6 = condylar guide inclination
Mandibular protrusion = 5 mm.
TABLE III. THE SIZE OF THE CHRISTENSEN ANGLE, ACCORDING TO BOTH FORMULA II AND
FORMULA VI, WHEN THE INCLINATION OF THE CONDYLAR GUIDANCE VARIES FROM 10 TO 50
-.~
y according to Formula II
-____
y according to Formula VI
5 = condylar guide inclination
7 = Christensens angle
Mandibular protrusion = 5 mm.
98
CHRISTENSEN
J. Pros. Den.
Jan.-Feb., 1960
formula for the Christensen angle. The simplified formula may be expressed:
sine y = p/a sine /3 (Formula VI), where y is the Christensen angle, /3 is the in-
clination of condylar guidance, p is the length of protrusion, and a is the height in
Bonwills triangle.
The difference between the exact value of the Christensen angle, according
to Formula II, and the approximate value, according to Formula VI, is given in
Table III. The difference is insignificant.
SUMMARY
The effect of the size of Balkwills angle on the Christensen angle and on cusp
angulation was discussed, and on the basis of the findings a simplified formula for
the Christensen angle was suggested.
REFERENCES
1. Balkwill, F. H.: The Best Form and Arrangement of Artificial Teeth for Mastication, Brit.
J. D. SC. 9:278-282, 1886.
2. Kohler, L. : Die Vollporthese, in Scheff and Pichler, editors : Handbuch der Zahnheilkunde,
Band IV, Berlin and Wien, 1929, Urban & Schwarzenberg, p. 286.
3. Hart, F. L. : Full Denture Construction, J.A.D.A. 26:455-461, 1939.
4. Bergstrom, G.: On the Reproduction of Dental Articulation by Means of Artciulators, Acta
Odont. Scandinavica 9: suppl. 4, p. 49, 1950.
5. Christensen, F. T.: Cusp Angulation for Complete Dentures, J. PROS. DEN. 8:910-923, 1958.
KANNIKGATEN 13
STAYANGER, NORWAY