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One of the challenges faced by practitioners is communicating
the neuromuscularly correct bite to the laboratory after the orthotic
is placed and adjusted. This adjusted bite must be transferred
accurately so that a diagnostic wax-up can be produced to the identical
position achieved over the course of orthotic treatment. The following
technique has proven to be invaluable in achieving this objective.
- Patient is wearing the adjusted orthotic and is in a comfortable
neuromuscular position. (Figure 1)
- Take green occlusal wax and lay it on top of each quadrant
of the orthotic. Have the patient bite into centric occlusion
firmly. Leave upper arch model mounted on the Acculiner. Take
lower arch model and knock off the mounting plate. (Figure 2)
- Take orthotic with green occlusal wax and hand mount to upper
arch in centric. Use wax or hot glue to stick the models together.
(Figure 3)
- With quick stone, remount lower arch model and mounting plate
to Acculiner. (Figure 4A and Figure 4B).
- Remove orthotic, dispose of green wax and replace orthotic
in patient’s mouth.
- Take bite registration material and place between the mounted
upper and lower arches. (Figure 5)
- Once set, remove the arches and bite from Acculiner and return
models and bite to laboratory.
- The technician can now wax the upper and lower arches to the
patient’s corrected vertical and anterior/posterior position.
Photographs courtesy of Dr. Buddy Wheeler, Sugarland, Texas
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Figure 1
Orthotic in mouth. |
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Figure 2
Centric stops on top of orthotic. |
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Figure 3
Lower arch with orthotic
mounted to upper. |
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Figure 4A
A Duplicated vertical and A/P position. |
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Figure 4B
Duplicated vertical and A/P position. |
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Figure 5
Bite Registration prior to
separating mounted models. |
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