Designed By:
Ernest R. Granger
Manufactured By:
Gnatholator Company, Inc. Pelham Manor, NY
US Patent:
2824371
Description:
The Gnatholator is generally classified as a fully adjustable or Gnathological instrument. It is an arcon articulator with adjustable intercondylar distance, and variable lateral and horizontal condylar guides. Further features include curvilinear Bennett guides, interchangeable curvilinear condylar paths of various radii, and semicircular arc controls for the horizontal and vertical axes of the rotating condyle. It has a curved incisal pin to follow the arc of closure; however, the incisal guide table is only adjustable in protrusion. The terminal hinge axis is recorded for mounting the casts in the instrument. The Gnatholator controls can be set by either check bite records or through the use of a pantograph.
Sharry JJ (ed.): Complete Denture Prosthodontics (ed.2) 1968. McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York, NY.
Anterior - lateral view, closed position. The incisal pin is curved to conform to the arc of the closure of the articulator. The incisal guide is adjustable in protrusion and has adjustable lateral wings.
Posterior view, note the universal arc guides for working condyle control.
Superior view of the posterior controls. The intercondylar distance is adjustable and the Bennett angle controls are in the center of the instrument.
Detail of the right condylar mechanism. There are inter-changeable curvilinear condylar guides.
Close-up of the right condylar mechanism the semi-circular arc device controls the direction of the side shift of the working condyle.Dr. Edgar N. Starcke's articles in the Journal of Prosthodontics have more information on the history of articulators.