Sameeksha Savade

Virtual articulators are digital simulations of mechanical articulators used in prosthodontics and restorative dentistry to reproduce mandibular movements and occlusal relationships. They support accurate diagnosis, treatment planning, and digital fabrication without physical casts, reflecting the integration of CAD/CAM, CBCT, intraoral scanning, and jaw-motion analysis in modern dentistry. Early mandibular movement recording began with cinefluorography introduced by Klatsky in 1939, later refined by Jankelson and image intensifier technology by Berry and Hoffman to reduce radiation exposure. Subsequent electronic, opto-electronic, pantographic, and axiographic systems enabled three-dimensional jaw tracking and improved articulator programming. Recent integration of jaw-motion data with digital scans has led to dynamic virtual patients. Validation studies by Ralph DeLong demonstrated that virtual articulators reliably reproduce clinical occlusion.