The articulator provides the dental technician and dentist a means of communication, analysis, and pre-insertion inspection of cases for proper fit and function.

Even without patient references, a calibrated articulator will enhance efficiency and precision when cases move between multiple stations. However, whenever patient-specific information is provided by the dentist, it increases the likelihood that the corresponding restoration will better match the patient. An adjustable, precision articulator provides the technician with a method of using, interpreting, and adjusting for the patient specific information provided by the dentist in a way that maximizes his or her own skills.

The Artex System offers many unique benefits that provide production efficiency and increase control of quality and costs.

In the dental office, the Artex® facebow requires only one person to lock in the registration with a “flick of the wrist”, which is then frozen in plaster atop a table that is sent to the lab for maxillary cast mounting. It’s an easy, efficient, and secure documentation / transfer system.

Artex articulators are easily and economically calibrated to each other, providing cast transfer between multiple stations or between the lab and the dental office with occlusal deviations of less than 10 microns (Hatzi, Millstein, Maya: J Prosthet Dent 2001; 85:236-45). Magnetic cast retention simplifies the task of moving from one case to another -- and that translates into time saved.

From average-value to fully-adjustable models, Artex articulators streamline production and build quality into the process. The Artex system has a 30+ year track record of success in Germany and thousands of satisfied users in North America.

To choose a model that best suits you and your dentist clients, define the needs that you must meet with the articulator. For example, do your dentists regularly provide lateral and protrusive checkbites, or patient Bennett Angle and condylar inclination references on the prescription? If so, then your equipment must be capable of adjusting the corresponding settings. If not, then perhaps an "average-value" instrument is called for. Also, for many labs, a designated mounting-unit makes sense due to the messy plaster work associated with mounting many casts.

Your Jensen representative can help you to identify other factors that should narrow down the choice of models to one that makes sense for your business.

The adjustment settings vary by model. The system includes models with pre-set or adjustable condylar inclination, adjustable Bennett angles, immediate sideshift (I.S.S.) settings, protrusion and retrusion indicators for use when incorporating freedom of movement in all directions for night-guards, for example, and vertical adjustment capability.

In a non-arcon articulator, unlike human anatomy, the components representing condylar housings are found in the lower member of the articulator, and the spheres representing condyles are attached to either end of an axle that is part of the upper member. The upper arm of a non-arcon articulator can be fully opened without disconnecting from the lower arm, as with the Artex CN, CT, NK, TK, or TR models.

In an arcon articulator, the condylar housings are part of the upper member and the condyles are located on either side of the lower member. This configuration looks more like human anatomy, and is sometimes preferred when using the instrument to describe and explain treatment to patients. The upper member of an arcon-type articulator can disconnect from the lower member when fully opened, unless the unit employs a centric lock, as does the CP, CR, AP, or AR arcon models from Jensen. All of the Artex non-arcon and arcon articulators are adaptable to the Splitex® calibration system, and models are interchangeable with each.

It's easier in an arcon, because the condyles and condylar housings are visible and their movements are easily followed when making adjustments.

In the ideal situation, your dentist clients will provide you with as many patient-specific parameters as possible so each restoration is as customized as it can be. For example, occlusal relationships can be created and tested in a more lifelike situation when opposing-models are mounted in an articulator with the patient's maxillary registration as a guideline. However, if your dentists are not yet providing facebow registrations, you needn't wait to begin enjoying some benefits of precision articulators. For example, variables caused by moving cases from one bench station to the next are reduced, even when cases are simply mounted in average value, when cases are transferred between articulators that are calibrated to each other.

Because every person has a Bennett Angle, and it's better to include it in the restoration than not include it, even if you're only using an average value.
b) Also, because it's more economical from a production standpoint for the bases of all the non-arcon articulators to be the same, and the savings can be passed along. This base also allows you to use spacers.

More freedom of lateral movement in centric.

In some cases, additional patient information such as immediate side-shift (I.S.S.) or retrusive movement from check-bites is provided by the dentist, and the Artex CR, for example, provides a means of incorporating those adjustments.

The Artex Carbon series offers a flat, 0° table, and an inclined table (protrusion 0 - 40°, laterotrusion 0 - 70° (right/left). The classic Artex system offers a flat table, or 10° and 20° inserts. There is also a custom individual incisal guidance set available for you to purchase.

When you want to mimic the patient's incisal guidance and canine guidance.

No. You can also produce an individual table with self-curing or light-cured resin by moving the incisal guidance pin around in the resin, based on where the models guide you. The models should be mounted with a facebow registration for accuracy.