Purpose: To evaluate the effect of different residual dentitions on the dynamic adjustment of wear facet morphology on a single mandibular first molar crown with a virtual articulator.
Materials and methods: Gypsum casts (N = 12) of natural full dentitions were mounted on an articulator and scanned. The mandibular right first molar (#46) was prepared and a copy of the tooth before it was prepared and used to design the crown. The wear facets on the original #46 were selected and elevated by 0.3 mm in the occlusal direction to generate high points. The #46 with high points was segmented to create a digital wax pattern. Then different teeth were virtually removed to generate 4 types of residual dentitions: Type I (no teeth), Type II (adjacent teeth), Type III (ipsilateral posterior teeth and canine), and Type IV (all teeth). The crowns were adjusted dynamically with different residual teeth to guide mandibular movement of the virtual articulator. Three-dimensional deviations, negative and positive volumes between crowns and wear facets on the original #46 were analyzed. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze the results.
Results: The mean deviation values and positive volumes decreased with the decrease in residual teeth, and the negative volumes showed an opposite trend. The mean deviation values, root mean square, and positive volumes were not significantly different. The negative volume of the crowns of Type I was different from that of Type IV (p = 0.031).
Conclusions: Residual dentition affects the dynamic adjustment of wear facet morphology. When there are insufficient residual teeth, mandibular movements should be accurately measured.
Keywords: Virtual articulator; average-value articulator; mandibular movement; residual dentition; wear facet.
© 2020 by the American College of Prosthodontists.