Patent ID: 7857622

Claim:
A handheld dental articulator, comprising: a handheld articulator frame comprising an upper member and a lower member, wherein the handheld articulator frame has a pivot axis connecting the upper member to the lower member; an upper mounting plate configured to hold an upper dental cast connected to the upper member; and a lower mounting plate configured to hold a lower dental cast connected to the lower member; wherein the pivot axis of the handheld articulator is located at a natural hinge axis of rotation of a patient when the upper and lower dental casts are respectively held by the upper and lower mounting plates; wherein the upper mounting plate has an upper surface, a lower surface, a front end, and a rear end, the upper mounting plate having a first attachment mechanism at the rear end of the upper mounting plate configured to removably connect to the upper member of the handheld articulator frame rearwardly of the upper mounting plate, and a second attachment mechanism at the upper surface of the upper mounting plate configured to removably connect the upper surface of the upper mounting plate to an upper member of a full-size articulator frame; wherein the lower mounting plate has an upper surface, a lower surface, a front end, and a rear end, the lower mounting plate having a first attachment mechanism at the rear end of the lower mounting plate configured to removably connect to the lower member of the handheld articulator frame rearwardly of the lower mounting plate, and a second attachment mechanism at the lower surface of the lower mounting plate configured to removably connect the lower surface of the lower mounting plate to a lower member of the full-size articulator frame; and wherein articulation of the upper and lower mounting plates about the pivot axis of the handheld articulator frame with the dental casts respectively held by the upper and lower mounting plates and with the upper and lower mounting plates connected to the handheld articulator frame simulates actual jaw movements of the patient about an anatomically correct hinge axis of rotation.