The History of Articulators: A Perspective on

the Early Years, Part I1

Edgar N. Starcke, DDS

I T MAY NEVER be known when, where, or from

whose imagination the first mechanical hinge
articulator emerged. The early dcntists in America,
especially thosc in the territories and on the fron-
tier, often found it diricult to obtain equipment
and supplies to pmctice their profession. It is likely
that early hinge articulators were handmade
contrivances, constructed from materials at hand.
Even though well into thc 20th century plaster was
commonly used to relate casts, some time before
I840 mechanical hinge articulators seem to have
become the preferred typc. According to the litera-
ture, there were three primary reasons expressed for
their use and popularity; these mechanical hinge ar-
ticulators were more convenient and casicr to use,
allowed modifications of the cast position when inac-
curacies were suspected, and saved plaster of Paris.’
From the beginning, the term “articulator” was
not popularly ascribed to the hinge-type devices.
Among the more common terms were “antagonizing
frames,”:! “occluding frames,” “occlusion frames,”
and “antagonizors.””,~ In 1914, Wilson3emphatically
expressed his opposition to thc widely uscd dcsigna-
tion, “articulator,” artping that it was a misnomer
because, in the anatomic sense, the term means “a
joint.” Similarly, he considered “articulation of the
teeth” incorrect because teeth can only articulate
upon their proximal surfaccs and not upon their
occlusal surfaces. Wilson stated that such instru-
ments were intended to occlude and antagonize the
teeth, not articulate them. Wilson suggested the
instruments are used to arrange artificial teeth in
occlusion and “they should be in ‘a~itagoIiiZalion.”’
In his textbook, Wilson referred to a simple hinge
articulator as an “Occlusion Frame” and to all othcrs
as “Antagonizors.”This controversyconcerning terms
was quite evident in the literature for years, but with
the passnge oT time, “articulation” and “artic~lator”
have become the accepted tcrms. In the Glossary of
Yrosthodontic Terms (seventh edition): “articula-
tion” is defined as, “in dentistry, the static and
dynamic contact relationship between the occlusal
surfaces of the teeth during function.” The tcrm
“articulator” is defined as “a mechanical instrument
that represents the temporomandibular joints and
jaws, to which maxillary and mandibular casts may
be attached to simulate some or all mandibular
movements.” In contrast, the Glossary describes-
“occluding frame” as an obsolcte term, while omit-
ting the terms, “antagonizing frame” and “antagoni-
zors” altogether.
Early References to Mechanical Hinge
Articulators
The first published reference to the earliest mechani-
cal hinge articulators is probably Fairhurst’s6discus-
sion of Hovarth‘s articulator and Ladmore’s articula-
tor of the 1830s. Fairhurst describcd these and other
early examplcs as instruments consisting of two
wooden or metal blocks or slabs hinged together with
a simple hinge. These articulators and others of the
day must certainly have resembled what is now
commonly referred to as the ”barn door hinge”
(Fig l).*

Correspondence to: Edgar AVStarcke, DDS, Clinical P r n j r . , Deport-

ment uf Pmsthodontics, The Lrniimity of Te,zas Houston Health S c i e n r -
Center Dental Branch, 6516 John Freeman Arienue, P.O. Box 20068,
Houston, TX 77225,E-mail: ~starcke~mail.~.uth.tmc.~di~
Copjri@t 8 1999 ly TheAmerican Collepe ofPrmthodontists
I0jY-Y4IX/99/0804-0011$5.00/0

Journal qjProsthodontics, Vobl8,No 4 [December), 1999:bp 277-280 277


Figure 1. A “Barn Door Hinge” Articulator in the collec-
tion of the University of Texas-Houston Dental Branch.
Illustrations of mechanical hinge articulators found
most commonly in the early literature wcre thosc
that were commercially manufactured and pro-
moted. Because scientific articles on articulators
were rare at that time, dentists were highly depen-
dent an advertisements that provided illustrations
(Fig 2).
About 40 hinge-type articulators were patented
between 1860 and 1910. However, numerous commer-
cially successfularticulators were not patented (Fig 3).
One of the earliest mechanical hinge articulators
illustrated and discussed in some detail in the litera-
ture is attributed to Thomas W. Evans.? In his
textbook, Chapin A. Harris (fourth edition, 1X50)7
described the T. Mi. Evans articulator as a “very
simple instrument by means of which the extension
of the plaster back of the plates and wax is rendcrcd
unnecessary.” He ernphasizcd that the most impor-
ARTICULATORS.
INVENTED BY W. H.SMITE, NEWPORT, R. I.
Thia article is made of brass, and possesses the advantage over those fn general
use in having n screw m d hinge, whereby it can he adjusted to any angle. There
is slso a set ecreew, allowing the top to slide either backward mforaard. It ha8 met
with general favor by tlrose who have used it. Price $1.00.
SAMUEL 8.WHITE.
Figure 2. This is an S. S. Whitr ad for an articulator
attributed to W. H. Smith. This articulator likely first
appeared in the 18f2 Samuel S. White catalogue, the first
catalogue produced by White after the dissolution of the
partnership ofJones and White in 1861. The S. S. White
Dental Manufacturing Co, incorporated in 1881, has col-
laborated with several inventors associated with articula-
tors, notably W. G. A. Bonwd and Rupert Hall. (Reprinted
from McQuillan JH, Zieglar GJ (eds): Dental Cosmos,
Philadelphia, PA, Samuel S. White, August 1865, vol7.)
tant feature was that vertical dimension could be
preserved or altered as required.’
Harris was initially introduccd to this devicc in
1849 when Evans sent a sample of one to the edtors
THE WILMINGTON DEXTAL MANUFACTURING CO
STANDARD ARTICULATO R.
The capacity of this
Articulator is all that
is necessary. It will
take single or double
models, and admit of
any change in articula-
tion. Entirely of brass,
nicely fitted,finely pol-
ished, nickel-plated.
PRICES.
As above. ........ $1.25
Pla,in Brass...... .85
Figure 3. A v e n popular articulator or common basic
design. Note the uncommon feature: a vertical rod at-
tached to thr wing-nut to support thc fully opened upper
member. (Reprinted from the 1890 Wilmingon Dental
Manufacturing Co catalogue, Philadclphia, PA, p 293.)
 patcnts were issued between 1840 and 1870. It is
logical to assume that because of the number of‘
patents issued during the subsequcnt three decades
(about 45),some records werc lost.

The First US Articulator Patent

The first US patent for ari articulator was issued to
James Cameron on April 30, 1840 (Fig 6A and B).
Cameron’s articulator was unique in its departure in
design from othcr hinge-type devices, and it is not
clcar why he chosc such a design. However, the
Figure 4. Thomas W. Evans hrticulator. Woodcut snbmit- inclusion ofthe anterior-posterior and vertical adjust-
ted by J. r). Chevalirr to the American Juurnal Ilenlal ment features does show his concern for the pcrva-
Science. Vertical rod D and wing-nut E control vertical sive problems related to the wax impression and
dimension. This is artually the second appearance of the “mush-bite” techniques of the day and the necessity
‘tertical stop” feature. Daniel T. Fxens recorded the first to makc corrections using articulators. Cameron’s
in his patent application (1840). (Reprinted from Cheva-
lier?) articulator also displayed a mistaken concept that
has been, with some persistence, repeated in articula-
tor design-that is, the idea that the ma.ndibular
of TheAmericanJournal ofDeenta1Scietice for eva1uaLion.t member of the articulator must move. The second
As a co-editor, Harris reported receiving Evans’
“antagonizing instrument for artificial tccth” and
noted that, “With the exception of a plaster antago-
nizing model, it is superior to any we have seen.”HIn
April 1850, John D. Chevalier of New York submit-
ted, with a letter to the editor, a woodcut of the Evans
instrument and a description of its use. Chevalier
intended to manufacture it and commissioned the
woodcut for his circularsg (Fig 4).
It is not known if Thomas Evans patented his
articulator, and this illustrates one of the obstacles
encountered by investigators seeking early patent
data: according to the records of the US
patcnt office before 1870 may be incomplctc. In that
year, the Commissioner of Patents completely reorga-
nized the system of kecping records and issuing
patcnt letters. Furthermore, sometimc between 1840,
when the first patents were issued, and 1870, a fire
destroyed many of the original patent records. Accord-
ing to the existing records, only four articulator

Figure 5. Thomas W. Evans (1823-1897). (Reprinted

from Rainey.! I )
Figure 6 . 64) From Patent #1,574, April 1840. This was essentially a plasterless hingc-type device. Kod E allows an
anterior-posterior adjustment of upper plate A. Assembly K incorporates a vertical adjustment and the hinge mechanism
for the lowcr plate B. Rods M and 0 are supports for the lowcr platc B. (B) This is an actual model of the Cameron
articulator. (Reprinted from House.'")

articulator to be patented, that of Daniel T. Evens,
exemplifies this problem, but also represents an
advancement in the understanding of mandibiilar
movement (more of the history of articulators in thc
next issue of t h eJournal ofProsthodontiw).
References
1. Harris CA (ed): The Principles and Practice of Dental Surgery
(ed 8). Philadelphia, P& Lindsay & Blakiston, 1863, p 685
2. kchardson J (ed): A Practical Treatise on Mechanical Drn-
tistry (ed 1). Philadelphia, PA, Lindsay & Blakiston, 1860, p
2 75
3. Wilson GH (ed): A Manual of Dcntal Prosthetics (ed 2).
Philadelphia,PA, Lea &E'ebiger, 1914, pp 159-160
4. Waugh Lhl: The laws of antagoniaation of the teeth in
orthodontia. Dent Items oflnterest 1910;32:192-213
5. The glossary of prosthodontic terms (ed 7). J Prosthet Dcnt
1999;81:48
6. Fairhurst R: The Wadsworth Articulator. Dent Rec 1929;49:
58-66
7. Harris CA (ed):The Principles and Prarticc of Dental Surgery
(cd 4). Philadelphia, PA, Lindsay & Blakiston, 1850, pp
699-700
8. Harris CA: Editor's note: &I antagonizing instrument for
artificial teeth. Am J Dent Sci 1819;1054
9. Chevalier JD: Evans'htagonizing Instrument.AmJDent Sci
1850;10206-208
10. House JE:The d e s i p and use of dental articulators in the
United States from 1840-1970. Masters thesis, IndiamUniver-
sity School of Dentistry, Indianapolis, IN, 1970
11. Rainey H (ed): Dr. Thomas W'. Evans, America's Dentist to
European Royalty. Philadelphia, PA, Thc Evons Co, 1916, pp
9-19