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Significance of virtual
articulators: An overview
Sir,
Improved dental education and related technological
training can be achieved primarily by virtual dental
technologies with enhancing procedures that are usually
restricted, such as working with conventional mechanical
articulator. The virtual articulator is specially designed to
be used as an instrument that evaluates and analyses the
complex static and dynamic occlusal relationships.[1] With
the use of semi‑adjustable mechanical articulators, one
cannot reproduce mandibular movements with associated
time frames. However, these dilemmas can be resolved by
replacing the mechanical articulator by its digital replication
like virtual articulator.[2]
It essentially improves the designing of dental prosthesis
by adding kinematic analysis to the design process.[3]
Virtual articulator can signify and quantify the effects of
resilience of the soft tissue on the time‑dependent basis
during muscular movements of chewing or eating. That
is why it can exemplify the real‑time dynamics of the
occlusion.[1] Other significant advantages of using virtual
articulators over mechanical ones are the reduction in
inaccuracies while making inter‑occlusal registration with
registering materials that are prone to deformation (e.g.,
Bite registration wax) and accurate repositioning of the
master cast into bite impression without leaving any space.
The most accurate occlusal surface reproduction can
be achieved either using fully adjustable articulator that
simulates mandibular movements with high degree of
precision or using virtual articulators with computer‑aided
design and computer‑aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM)
systems. So, the virtual articulators produce the best fitted
occlusal restoration possible, which in turn helps students
to understand the functional dynamics of dental articulator,
its different excursive movements, and their influence
on the occlusal surface and to enhance the quality of
communication between the dentist and dental technician.[3]
International Journal of Health & Allied Sciences • Vol. 1 • Issue 4 • Oct-Dec 2012
Letter to Editor
Though the research is still going on in this field, various
approaches have been made till now. Therefore, the virtual
articulator is a fundamental device that deals mostly with
the practical aspects of the dental occlusion and in the
CAD/CAM manufacture dental restoration. The concept
of virtual articulator will change conventional ways of
production and communication in dentistry and begin
to replace the mechanical tools. This letter is an attempt
to draw attention toward the imperative role of virtual
articulators in the establishment and development of most
precise and dynamic occlusal relationships. I hope it will
prove to be a gentle nudge to guide researchers in this
direction.
Prince Kumar, Ashish Kumar1, Ashish Khattar2,
Roshni Goel3
Departments of Prosthodontics and Oral Implantology, Shree
Bankey Bihari Dental College and 1ITS Dental College,
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, 2Private Practitioner, Pitampura,
New Delhi, 3Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics,
IDST Dental College, Modinagar, Ghaziabad, India
Address for correspondence:
Dr. Prince Kumar,
Departments of Prosthodontics and Oral Implantology,
Shree Bankey Bihari Dental College and Research Centre,
Masuri, N.H. 24, Ghaziabad, India.
E-mail: princekumar@its.edu.in
REFERENCES
1. Bisler A, Bockholt U, Kordass B, Suchan M, Voss G. The virtual
articulator. Int J Comput Dent 2002;5:101‑6.
2. Solaberrieta E, Etxaniz O, Minguez R, Muniozguren J, Arias A. Design
of a virtual articulator for the simulation and analysis of mandibular
movements in dental CAD/CAM. Cranfield, England: Cranfield
University Press; 2009. p. 323.
3. Solaberrieta E, Arias A, Barrenetxea L, Etxaniz O, Minguez R,
Muniozguren J. A virtual dental prostheses design method using
a virtual articulator. Dubrovnik, Croatia: Proceedings of the 11th
International Design Conference; 2010. p. 443‑52.
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DOI:
10.4103/2278-344X.107895
297