8
To Lock in the Open Position
When the articulator is opened, the
upper bow can be moved downward
toward the lower bow so that the
condyles move forward in their fossae to
engage the lock open position (fig. 5).
To Close the Articulator
To close the articulator move the upper
bow up and forward to disengage the
lock-open position and close the articu-
lator (fig. 6).
ARTICULATOR ADJUSTMENTS
The articulator is a mechanical equiva-
lent of the lower half of the head
__
a
mechanical jaw so to speak. In order to
discuss the adjustments of the articula-
tor or specifically the fossa controls, it
would be helpful to discuss the condylar
paths of movement of the human
mandible. In a lateral mandibular move-
ment the condyle on the side toward
which the mandible moves is termed the
rotating condyle (fig. 7). The condyle on
the side opposite the side towards
which the mandible moves is termed the
orbiting condyle.
In a lateral mandibular movement the
orbiting condyle moves inward, down-
ward and forward and orbits about the
r
otating condyle which is simultaneous-
ly rotating and moving outward during
the mandibular side shift.
orbiting path - the path of move-
ment of the orbiting condyle.
rotating path - the path of move-
ment of the rotating condyle.
protrusive path - the path of
movement of the condyle in a
straight protrusive movement.
fig. 5
fig. 6
fig. 7
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