MANDIBULAR MOVEMENTS
AND THEIR RELATION TO
COMPLETE DENTURE
CONSTRUCTION
Two basic movements are recognized in the joint
A- Rotation (Hinge) movement:
A-Rotation in lower compartment
This movement takes place in the lower compartment of the joint between the head of
the condyleB-Translation indisc
and the under surface of the upper
(Steadycompartment
in its place).
The condylar head of the mandible rotates on the under surface of the disc.
Such rotational movement can occur in several axes
Terminal hinge axis:
It is an imaginary line between the
mandibular condyles around which the
mandible rotates during the early opening
and late closing
The hinge axis can be located clinically by the
kinematic face bow (exact method) or through the
canthus-tragus line (arbitrary method).
It is an imaginary line around which the condyles
rotate during early opening and late closing.
B- Translation movement:
This movement takes place in the upper
compartment between condylar head and the
disc as one unit, and the glenoid fossa
These two types of movements (rotation
and translation) take place either solely
or in combination.
B-Translation or gliding
When it occurs: protrusive ,right lateral, left lateral movement
& opening beyond the terminal hinge position
”max opening”.
Where it occurs:
in upper compartment of T.MJ
Limiting factors of mandibular movements
CNS and Muscles.
Teeth.
TMJ.
Border and intra-border movements
Border movements:
These are movements occurring following the boundaries
movement space.
They are repeatable positions.
Intra-border movements:
These are movements occurring within the space.
They are non-repeatable positions
Possible mandibular movement
1) Opening and closing movement
2) Forward movement (Protrusive
movements) and Backward movement
(Retrusive movement)
3) Lateral (Right and left) movements
1) Opening and closing movement
a) Pure Terminal hinge movement
b) Forward translation
c) Maximal opening
d) habitual intra-border movement
(combination)
Possible mandibular movement
1) Opening and closing:
Opening movement of the mandible from the habitual intercuspal position to maximum opening of the jaws can be divided
according to movements of the condyles into:
a) Pure Terminal hinge movement :
In the first 15-20 mm (10-13 degrees) of opening movements, pure rotation occurs in the
lower compartment, the rotation occurs around the transverse hinge axis with no apparent
condylar translation.
b) Translatory Opening movement
On further opening, rotation and translation occur in the upper compartment.
It is the opening that occurs beyond the terminal hinge opening, to the
maximum opening position. The condyles translate downward and forward their
most posterior position on the condyles in the upper compartment of the TMJ
Habitual intra-border Opening:
This movement is carried out inside the envelope of motion. It is the movement
path of the incisal point from the intercuspal position till the maximal opening
position.
It consists of a combination of rotation and translation.
Posselt described a curve drawn by the mandible during
such movement, and named it “Posselt's envelope of motion
It should be noted that the outer borders of such
envelope of motion, are known as "border
movements", and the inner area of this envelope is
known as "intraborder movements" .
Border movements are important in recording mandibular
movements as they are recordable and reproducible.
Posselt’s Envelope of Motion
2- Anteroposterior movements
A-Protrusive movements:
During protrusion the condyle together with the articular disc as
one unit move downwards and forwards along the glenoid fossa
and the articular eminence.
The angle of glide varies from patient to patient
The path travelled by the condyles in the TMJ during protrusive
movement is termed the horizontal condylar path or the sagittal
condylar path
It should be noted that protrusion in dentulous
patients is mainly dictated by the sliding of incisal
edges of mandibular anterior teeth on the palatal
concavities of maxillary anterior teeth .
While in edentulous cases such movement is
dictated by the sliding of the condyle on the
posterior wall of the eminence.
criteria and How to record it:
*protrusive movement
condyle translates in sagittal
plane (horizontal plane)
along articular eminence
following a path called
sagittal condylar path once
recorded protrusive
translation movement can be
recorded .
Condylar path angle:
It is the Angle between the condylar path and
the horizontal plane, it includes:
1- condylar path
2-horizontal plane
3- condylar path angle
Condylar guidance:
The simulation of the condylar path on the
articulator
Adjustment of the horizontal condylar path angle
Christensen’s Phenomena
Christensen Phenomenon:
When the mandible moves to an edge to edge position,
separation occurs distally between the teeth or occlusal rims.
Protrusive record being taken with pink baseplate wax. The
mandible is brought forward in a straight protrusive direction
about 4-6 mm in distance, and the patient closes on the
softened wax.
The record is then brought to the articulator, where it is used
to set the condylar inclination.
And then incisal inclination can be set by the dentist
according to esthetics and phonetics requirements.
The occlusion rims are reestablished and checked for 3 mm.
Clearance in protrusive excursions. The protrusive relationship
determines the angle of horizontal condylar path
3- Retrusive movement
The retrusive movement of the
mandible takes place by similar
movement as the protrusive one but in
the reverse direction i.e. upward and
backward along the same inclinations.
In the antero-posterior dimension three
positions of the mandible can be defined
A-Ligamentous position (retruded mandibular position: this is the
extreme position to which the mandible can be displaced posteriorly
B-Muscular position (habitual position) : guided by muscles . It is
1mm in front of ligamentous position. In the majority of patients with
cusp teeth, the muscular position is coincident with the tooth position
C-Tooth position (Intercuspal position): Dictated by occlusion of
.teeth. Irrespective of the position of the condyles
Only in a few persons does the ligamentous position coincide with tooth position,
in about 90% of adults the tooth position is approximately 1 mm anterior to
ligamentous position
The relation of the mandible to the maxillae when the condyles are
in the most retruded unstrained position in the glenoid fossae,
from which lateral movements can be made at any given degree
of jaw separation.
A-centric and hinge position B-protrusion and translation position
The muscles responsible for the
forward movement of the
mandible are the lateral
pterygoid muscles acting jointly
1-Retruded contact position
2- Habitual intercuspasal position
3-Edge to edge occlusion
4- Anterior biting to a vertical
overlap
5-Protruded contact position
4- Lateral (Right and left) movements:
The side towards which the mandible
moves is called the working side or the
bolus side, while the opposite side is
called the non- working, non-bolus or
the balancing side.
lateral movement
either RT or left:
condyle translate in
lateral plane along
lateral inclines of
condylar fossa
following a path called
lateral condylar path
once recorded lateral
translation movement
can be recorded.
a. Working condyle movement (laterotrusion)
The condyle rotates mainly around the
vertical axis and at the end of the movement
a lateral bodily shift occurs which is known
as Bennett side shift or Bennett's movement.
Lateral condylar path is the path traveled by the
condyles in the temporomandibular joint when the
mandible is carried laterally in lateral movement
b. Balancing condyle movement (mediotrusive)
The balancing condyle moves forwards,
downwards and inwards (medially).
Lateral movement of the mandible is the result of
contraction of one lateral pterygoid muscle. When the
lateral pterygoid muscle of one side contracts the
mandible moves to the opposite side.
Why do we need to know mandibular
movements?
The complete denture prosthesis is
constructed to function in the dynamic
conditions of the oral cavity. It is relevant to
understand and record such movements to
accomplish harmony between the denture and
mandibular movements.
Condylar path
It is the path traveled by the condyles in the temporomandibular
joint during various mandibular movements.
Saggital (horizontal) condylar path: The path taken by the
condyle during protrusion and retrusion
Lateral condylar path: The path taken by the condyle during
lateral movement
Lateral condylar path is the path traveled by the
condyles in the temporomandibular joint when the
mandible is carried laterally in lateral movement
The condylar path inclinations vary in different
individuals and from side to side in the same
individual. The condylar path inclination depends
upon:
The shape of the glenoid fossa.
Thickness of the articular disc.
Relation of the condyle to the disc during movement.
The extent of mandibular movement.
Thank you
