Digital occlusion and muscle activity - linking real-time dynamic articulation with electromyography data

The increasing use of computer-assisted design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems in prosthetic dentistry has led to the question of how to precisely record, digitize, and integrate the individual patient-specific dynamics of jaw motion captured by mechanical articulators into the analogous digital workflow. It is expedient to incorporate optoelectronic systems for jaw movement tracking in the digital workflows for virtual articulator systems. The dental scan data is captured and exported to the software, which calculates and displays the movements of the mandible. Computerized occlusal analysis technologies have opened up a variety of new analytical possibilities. Additional measurement data, such as electrical muscle activity, can be integrated into the digital workflow. By synchronizing EMG masseter muscle activity with the dental scan data, the user obtains information on the temporal sequence of jaw movement and high or low forces over time. This information is not only useful for the assessment of dynamic occlusion but also for functional analysis and dental prosthetic design. Keywords: virtual articulator, virtual occlusion, muscle activity, EMG, occlusal contacts