Articulators - What are you using?

[bdg]

Looking at replacing our articulators (Old and "Well Used")

So I am wondering what is being used out there and why
Pros Cons etc...

We need something for both fixed and removable

Would love to hear any input.

 

[DMC]

I hate all articulators and try to keep them small and as non-existant as possible.

I don't like battling a 5lb boat anchor with sharp edges

 

[TheLabGuy]

http://dentallabnetwork.com/forums/f6/new-triple-tray-system-896/

I use the Artimax system, love it and so do my clients.
For mounting cases, I use a stratos - Ivoclar, Nice articulator, someone mentioned a nicer one, but I can't remember the name.

 

[Al.]

I use monotrac for most tripletray cases they have a nice art system and we use vertex some. I break the vertex off and put them in acetone to remove the glue and reuse them.
I have denars for the big cases and if I want to impress the Drs, but we charge them $30 to mount them on fully adjustable arts.

 

[CloudPeakDL]

Most articulators are about the same anymore, I suggest if you go with full size you get them to magnetic mount, some will transfer to other articulators so if your lab is big you don't need as many because they just swap out the case.
Some suppliers will send a sample for you to play with if you ask.
My current ones are old Hanau but I like the Ivocar system.

 

[bdg]

Thanks for the input,
I should have stated that Im already using triple trays (WOW II - works great for me).
Looking into replacements for a semiadjustable.

CloudPeakDL the magnet would be great - Id love to just have a few and interchange them - thats what Im looking at doing but I have a bunch of "Old School" docs that simply refuse to believe its possible... Times change hahaha

 

[charles007]

I use the Slider Disposable Articulators from Vident, they come with a flat or slotted connector plates. If you use the vertex, these are 100x better, much more stable. Would rate these slightly better than the orbit and taller ...... Not cheap, aprox $18. per 50

Charles

 

[CloudPeakDL]

CloudPeakDL the magnet would be great - Id love to just have a few and interchange them - thats what Im looking at doing but I have a bunch of "Old School" docs that simply refuse to believe its possible... Times change hahaha[/QUOTE]

I suggest getting with suppliers and requesting a trial sample then try to get the docs on board.
I'm assuming since your in the A.F. you have a head pros officer, all you have to do is win them over.
Even the old hanau style can be magnetic but cases don't transfer between articulators.

 

[bdg]

you have a head pros officer, all you have to do is win them over

Sounds easy enough hahaha
Ill talk to a rep and try to have them send a sample to test out

Thanks

 

[TheLabGuy]

My first gold crown I ever made was for the head pros officer......he took one look at it, threw it on the floor and stepped on it (bent the crap out of the margins)........right in front of me. Their was nothing wrong with it, he was just breaking me in........military life is different than civilian life isn't it?

 

[bdg]

hahaha
Yes, it is different - nothing like building up that self confidence - right!

 

[CloudPeakDL]

My first pros officer use to throw the articulator with case part across the lab when he was "upset". We had a little talk (I was an e-5 at the time) about how I didn't care for that approach; we are still "friends" 20 years later. However I have worked with a few that were really hard to work with.
Suggest getting the samples; figure out which one you like and why you like it. Make notes, then sit down with the doc and make a pitch of which one you like and why, have costs ready and comparisons for the other ones you were looking at. Make sure you talk to suppliers and see if there is a discount for military or bulk puchases.
Good luck.

 

[yooper886]

In my 6 years I always found it easy to talk and work with the pros dentists, its the general dentists that had already talked to the pros officer that was difficult to work with because sometimes they would not fully understand the directions....they wouldn't do that would they? I forgot they are always right in the military, their rank makes them right. Even worse then the general dentists were the resident dentist directly out of school thinking they know even more then the pros dentists do.

 

[rabia]

the panadent one is just great, i love it especially when i attach the adjustable mounting platform which shows you very clearly the horizontal level of the upper teeth, the panadent face bow is quit handy too cause you can see the horizontal level and adjust it at the same time while you are taking the registration! i used to use Artex before they are okay but i prefer the panadent..

 

[TheLabGuy]

In my 6 years I always found it easy to talk and work with the pros dentists, its the general dentists that had already talked to the pros officer that was difficult to work with because sometimes they would not fully understand the directions....they wouldn't do that would they? I forgot they are always right in the military, their rank makes them right. Even worse then the general dentists were the resident dentist directly out of school thinking they know even more then the pros dentists do.

It's crazy seeing Bill's posts up here on DLN.........what a great guy!!!!!! R.I.P Bill

 

[TomZ]

I was thinking the same thing Rob...
This was posted about a month before he passed, mothers day 2009.
Bill, I miss you.

 

[denturist-student]

I have an older Hanau H2, A Hanau modular, a Hanau wideview, and a Hanaumate...am currently looking for some ivoclar stratos 200 or 300...Have a Whipmix 8500 as well with a facebow too...Also have a Hanau springbow and a Denar Slidematic facebow.... I find the models which do not have adjustable incisal guidance far too limiting when doing waxup for esthetics...especially for single upper dentures where placement of the centrals is critical for esthetics.

 

[Drizzt]

SAM 3 , SAM 2 PX AND SAM 2 P .Great quality , splitcast , easy to handle . We have an articulator in each bench and we simply change the models on them . SAm 2 p is not as handy as the others , but it is cheaper .

 

[paulg100]

used many over the years and have quite a few personally.

ivoclar stratos is by far the nicest i have and have used, but the magnetic plates are stupidly over priced, like £20-$25 a plate
to the point where i hardly use it now.

if anyone knows of copy/compatable magnetic plates for the stratos that are sensibly priced id love to know.

magnetic plates are a must when doing lots of diagnostic waxing and large mouth cases.

Kavo is nice also,

but the one that gets the most use for me is the denars as there kinda the standard i guess.

also has a converter for the kois platform/facial analyser and that is one awesome gizmo for communicating horizontal plane accuractly.

the one huge downside of the denars is they do not maintain cross mounting accuracy. Have seven at our production lab and paid alot of money years back to get them all callibrated.

Within a few weeks they were going out of whack with each other again.

 

[rkm rdt]

ivoclar stratos is by far the nicest i have and have used, but the magnetic plates are stupidly over priced, like £20-$25 a plate
to the point where i hardly use it now.

if anyone knows of copy/compatable magnetic plates for the stratos that are sensibly priced id love to know.

Here's a tip: try beer bottle caps .They attract to the bases and the edges are retentive in the plaster.