The Development of Nonanatomic Denture Occlusion: Part II.

This second part of a four-part series concerned with the development of nonanatomic denture occlusion follows nonanatomic tooth design from the time of Victor Sears' first nonanatomic tooth patent through the mid-1930s. Many of the designs featured in this series exhibit genius, while others are pure nonsense. Sears claimed that a new nonanatomic tooth design appeared every 9 months on average during the first 30 years of nonanatomic tooth production. Many current nonanatomic tooth patents are further refinements of those earlier designs. Part II reviews pioneering designs that appeared during the first dozen or so years of this paradigm shift in denture occlusion philosophy.

The Development of Nonanatomic Denture Occlusion: Part IV.

This fourth and final part of a four-part series concerned with the development of nonanatomic denture occlusion follows nonanatomic tooth design from the time of Victor Sears' first nonanatomic tooth patent through the end of the 20th century. Part IV concentrates on nonanatomic teeth developed during the last five decades of the 20th century. Many of the designs featured in this series exhibited genius, while others are pure nonsense. Sears claimed that a new nonanatomic tooth design appeared every 9 months on average during the first 30 years of nonanatomic tooth production. Many current nonanatomic tooth patents are further refinements of those earlier designs.

The Development of Nonanatomic Denture Occlusion: Part III.

Part III of this four-part series about nonanatomic denture tooth development traces the evolution of this movement from the mid-1930s through the World War II era up to the early 1950s. By this time, the general preference for posterior denture occlusion had shifted from anatomic to nonanatomic teeth, and all the major denture tooth manufacturing companies listed at least one nonanatomic design in their inventories.

The Contributions of Dr. Alfred Gysi.

This article is a historical overview of Dr. Alfred Gysi's contributions to the profession in the areas of denture tooth and articulator design. His understanding of occlusion and mandibular movement resulted in denture tooth designs and occlusal concepts still in widespread use.

The History of Articulators: The Contributions of Rudolph L. Hanau and His Company-Part II.

This article is an historical overview of the Hanau Engineering Company from the time of Rudolph Hanau's death in 1930 to the present. It explores the development of many articulators intended both for removable and fixed prosthodontic restorations. The article is divided into the eras of the company's corporate history, and it reviews articulator designs and major improvements made during each of those periods.

The history of articulators: the wonderful world of "grinders," Part 2.

This is the second article in a three-part series on the history of denture grinding devices. The first article reviewed the earliest attempts to mechanically grind the occlusion of artificial teeth from the manipulation of simple articulators to very elaborate and complex machines powered by hand cranks. This article explores motor-driven grinders, most driven by way of a belt-driven pulley powered by an external source. A few were self-contained; that is, the motor was mounted on the grinder base. There were basically two types of grinders: those with cast holders for mounting processed dentures and those with provisions for using articulators for that purpose.

The history of articulators: the Contributions of Rudolph L. Hanau and his company--part I.

This article is a historical review of the last decade of Rudolph Hanau's life. It covers his introduction to dentistry and explores his prolific articulator designs and contributions to the prosthodontic literature.

The history of articulators: the "Articulator Wars" phenomenon with some circumstances leading up to it.

At the dawn of the 20th century, all was not well with the practice of "plate prostheses." Removable prosthodontics had been degrading for several decades and was now generally in low esteem, even though there had been many significant advances. W. E. Walker had introduced adjustable condylar guides, George Snow, the facebow, and Carl Christensen, a method for clinically measuring the condylar inclines. Nevertheless, the average practicing dentist was still using simple hinge articulators and was apathetic to the deplorable state of the artificial teeth available; however, this was all going to change dramatically when two dentists, Alfred Gysi and J. Leon Williams, working together between 1910 and 1914, presented to the profession the "Trubyte Artificial Tooth System" that embodied both a typal system for selecting anterior teeth and new posterior occlusal carvings that made possible, for the first time, the articulation of artificial teeth. This incited many of prosthetic dentistry's elite to introduce their own theories of mandibular movement and the articulators that they designed to reflect those theories. The intense debates that ensued, both in the meeting halls and in the literature, were numerous and lasted for decades. At the time, the "Articulator Wars" had both positive and negative consequences. Today, with many of the "Articulator Wars" issues remaining as part of the practice of dentistry, the "Articulator Wars" can be considered a phenomenon of enlightenment.

Orthodontics in 3 millennia. Chapter 13: the temporomandibular joint and orthognathic surgery.

The temporomandibular joint has always been the practitioner's no-man's land. Who's in charge here? The general dentist, the prosthodontist, the oral surgeon, the otolaryngologist, the psychiatrist, or the orthodontist? Theories about the cause of problems are as varied as the specialties involved. Is the cause anatomic, occlusal, neuromuscular, myofascial, psychological, or multifactorial? In another adjunctive domain, the major early advances in orthognathic surgery were the discovery of anesthesia, the experiences of World War I surgeons, and the refinement of maxillary techniques.

Orthodontics in 3 millennia. Chapter 12: Two controversies: early treatment and occlusion.

From the beginning, orthodontists have been faced with the decision of when to start treatment. Until the late 20th century, this decision was based on clinical observation, the influence of strong leaders, and (after midcentury) the results obtained by what Europeans called "functional jaw orthopedics." Recent findings questioning the efficacy of early treatment have forced orthodontists to ask themselves whether their decision to "start now" is being influenced too heavily by practice-management considerations. Our concept of occlusion has evolved from a static to a dynamic one. Emulating their prosthodontist brethren, orthodontists have attempted to reproduce jaw movements with the use of articulators, but the popularity of these devices has been declining in recent years.

History of articulators: Henry L. "Harry" Page and the Transograph.

The intention of this article is to introduce the reader to the Transograph from a historical perspective. The technical data presented are intended to help the reader understand the design of this unique instrument and how it was programmed, but will not provide the reader a thorough understanding of this philosophy. The article seeks neither to defend nor criticize the principles of Transographics.

Early designs for the occlusal anatomy of posterior denture teeth: part III.

Part III of this series of articles, like Part II, reviews the pioneering efforts in the 19th century to improve the quality of artificial teeth. The focus of this article, unlike that of Part II, is specifically modifications in the design of the occlusal anatomy of the 19th century denture teeth, along with the theories of mandibular movement that inspired those modifications. This article concludes the introductory phase of this project, which seeks to unravel the confusing history of the development of (posterior) denture teeth.

The history and development of the dental surveyor: part II.

Part II of this series on the history and development of the dental surveyor reviews ways in which the basic dental surveyor has been modified to improve its accuracy and versatility. .