Non-invasive diagnosis of temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
Condylography
Condilography is a non invasive diagnostic technique of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). It is recommended in the cases of complex rehabilitations, on natural teeth and dental implants, as well as in the orthodontic treatments.
Condilography transmits accurate and vital information from the dental medicine office to the dental technique laboratory, such as the position of the jawbone to various reference plans (Frankfurt or Camper) position that is found on the higher model.
The condilography transmits all programmable indicators of the articulator (sagittal inclination of each condyle, value that is directly related to the anatomy of the temporal bone and more exactly to the glenoid and eminent fossa, benett angles that are directly related to the horizontal inclination of the condyles, ISS that is related to the horizontal route of the condyle, Shift angle is an angle encountered on the working side, and the condyle describes a laterotrusive movement horizontally).
All these dynamics movements of the jaw combined participate in the functionality of the craniomandibular system.
The craniomandibular system has 6 functions:
-breathing
-speaking
-deglutition
-mastication
-esthetics
-stress management
All these 6 functions are supported and are realized with the help of the jaw dynamics movements. The jaw dynamics movements are complex rotary and translation movements characteristic to each patient, realized with the help of the muscles of the craniomandibular system.
In fact, these movements are reflexes of the human body.
All these movements have been studied during the latest 300 years by many dentists and have been decoded, then designed, subsequently various simple and complex programmable articulators have been realized.
In the 21st century, due to digitalization and advanced technologies, the contemporaneous dentists have at hand complex and accurate articulators that render identically all dynamics movements of the jaw, on which we can program SCI< Bennet< ISS< Shift Angle. All these parameters, once set-up, on an articulator, will support the predictability, efficiency and professionalism of the prosthetic and pre-prosthetic treatment plan.
In other words, all our indirect prosthetic treatments must be carried-out both intraoral and extra oral in a dental technique laboratory.
Regardless of the fact whether we have a prosthetic treatment plan with prosthesis on the implants or combined implants with natural teeth, we have a diagnostic wax-up, an orthodontic appliance, a jaw repositioning, an orthognathic surgery intervention etc, all these treatment plans must be realized extra oral, that’s why a device is necessary that should support them very firmly to the intraoral reality.
Such an articulator related to an electronic condilography able to record micronically the jaw dynamics in its functionality is compulsory for the success and progress of the treatment plan, particularly in cases with prosthetics on the implant where the things are much more complex than in case of some classical works on natural teeth.