Pantographic tracings of mandibular movements

and occlusion

Joseph A. Clayton, D.D.S., M.S.,* W. E. Kotowicz, D.D.S., M.S.,**

P
A. nvestigations of the relationships of functional movements (chewing) to border
tracings recorded by tracing devices such as a pantograph have yielded conflicting
results.1-6 Inconsistencies in results may be due to a number of factors. Also, the
use of a pantograph to record mandibular border movements as an aid in restoring
occlusion is increasing in popularity. Because of previous results, the relationship
between functional movements and border tracings needs to be investigated further
and the role of pantographic tracings in restoring occlusion needs to be established.
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of functional move-
ments (chewing) to the border tracings recorded by a pantograph.

METHOD
Cast aluminum clutches were designed to attach to the maxillary and mandibu-
l.ar anterior teeth from canine to canine. These clutches were fixed to the teeth
with acrylic resin (Fig. 1). The pantograph? was assembled to the clutches with-
out interfering with tooth contact during functional movements (Fig. 2).
Four subjects were selected with minimum horizontal and vertical overlap so that
the clutches could be attached to the anterior teeth. Three of the four subjects had
all of their natural teeth. One subject was partially edentulous with tooth-borne
removable partial dentures. All subjects had various occlusal interferences and a

Read before the American Academy of Crown and Bridge Prosthodontics, Chicago, Ill.
This investigation was supported by Public Health Service Research Grant No. 5 SOI-
FR-5321 from the General Research Support Branch, Division of Research Facilities and
Resources.
*Associate Professor, Crown and Bridge Department.
**Assistant Professor, Partial Denture.
***Research Associate, Crown and Bridge Department.
?Denar Corporaton, Anaheim, Calif.

389
Fig. 1. Cast aluminum anterior clutches attached to the maxillary and mandibular teeth.
The clutches do not interfere with normal tooth contacts.
Fig, 2. Pantograph assembled on the anterior clutches.

h
C

x+ / a
a

\ I\ D i bal Y
B D

Fig. 3. Tracings from subject No. 1 showing the relationship between functional movement
(chewing) and the border positions recorded by a pantograph. (A) Lateral tracings without
functional movements: (CO) are the lateral tracings made from maximum intercuspation
of the teeth and unguided; (CR) is the lateral tracing guided along the border position;
(h) the horizontal condylar tracings; (v) the vertical condylar tracings; and (a) the anterior
tracings. (R) and (L) indicate the right and left side of the subject. The test food recordings
are made while chewing (B) gum, (C) uncooked carrots, and (0) peanuts. The maxillary
and mandibular canine teeth in an edge-to-edge relation is shown on one of anterior tracing
by marks labeled (C).
‘Volume 25 Pantographic tracings 391
Number 4

Fig. 4. Tracings from subject No. 2 showing the relationship between functional movements
{chewing) and the border positions recorded by a pantograph (see Fig. 3 for explanation of
lettering). (A) Lateral tracings without functional movements, (B) chewing gum, (C)
raw carrots, (D) peanuts.

slide from centric relation to centric occIusion due to a difference between them in
contact positions. The occlusion was not adjusted before pantographic tracings and
functional mandibular movements were recorded. One subject’s occlusion was sub-
sequently adjusted.
The styli of the pantograph were oriented to the terminal hinge axis. The pos-
terior horizontal styli were oriented over the axis and the anterior styli were oriented
on an arc from the axis so that as the subject opened and closed his jaws on the
terminal hinge axis all stylus points remained stationary on the tracing tables.
All tracings before chewing included an unguided tracing from centric occlusion
l(C.0.) made by the subject and a guided border tracing from centric relation
I:C.R.), These tracings of the four subjects are shown at (A) in Figs. 3 to 6. There
was a varying degree of difference recorded between the IateraI tracings from cen-
tric occlusion and centric relation. This is related to the extent of the occlusal inter-
ferences between centric relation and centric occlusion and to lateral interferences.?
After tracings from centric relation and centric occlusion were recorded, the
subjects chewed the test foods: gum, uncooked carrots, and peanuts of measured
392 Clayton, Kotowicz, and Zahler J. Prosth, Dent.
Aprd, 1971

Fig. 5. Tracings from subject No. 3 showing the relationship between functional movements
(chewing) and the border positions recorded by a pantograph (see Fig. 3 for explanation of
lettering). (A) Lateral tracings without functional movements, (B) chewing gum, (C) raw
carrots, (D) peanuts.

quantities. The functional recordings in relation to the lateral recordings from cen-
tric occlusion and centric relation are shown for (B) gum, (C) carrots and (D)
peanuts in Figs. 3 to 6.

RESULTS
Each subject exhibited a different chewing pattern. Ahhough there was a dif-
ference between the tracings from centric relation and centric occlusion, the func-
tional movements of subjects Nos. 2 and 3 contacted the border tracing from centric
relation frequently as recorded on the anterior tables. (The sequence of chewing
was also recorded on Super 8 movie film.) The heavy dark area near the border
tracing is indicative of the number of strokes along the border tracing, The marks
labelled “C” on one tracing for each patient indicate the edge-to-edge contact rela-
tion of the maxillary and mandibuIar canines.
Functional movements of subjects Nos. 1 and 4 did not contact the border
tracing on the anterior tables. The chewing area was confined within the centric
occlusion tracing. Subject No. 1 functioned nearer to the centric relation border
 Pantographic tracings 393

‘Fig. 6. Tracings from subject No. 4 showing the reIationship between functional movements
(chewing) and the border positions recorded by a pantograph (see Fig. 3 for explanation of
lettering). (A) Lateral tracings without functional movements, (B) chewing gum, (C) raw
(carrots, (D) peanuts.

,tracing after some of the occlusal interferences (deflective occlusal contacts) were
adjusted.
The condylar movements varied between subjects and within the same subject
between test foods. The condylar movements recorded on the vertical and hori-
xontal condylar tables contacted the border tracings frequently. The movements
did not go beyond the border tracings. Although the patterns recorded were dif-
ferent, the differences occurred within the border limits. The superior and inferior
movements of the condyles were recorded on the vertical tables. The movements
did not go superior to the border tracing, however, the area inferior to the border
tracing varied. The larger area was due to the distance of the tracing table from
the condyle which magnifies the movements. The lateral bodily movements of the
condyles are recorded on the horizontal tables. Again the functional area was within
the border tracing and contacted the border area frequently. Although the functional
movements were restricted to the tracing from centric occlusion on the anterior
tables, movements in the condylar region contacted the border tracing from centric
relation frequently (subjects Nos. 1 and 4).
 J. Prosth. Dent.
394 Clayton, Kotowicz, and Zahler April, 1971

\ 1h
v

A L

Fig. 7. Tracings made from subject No. 1 showing the relationship between functional move-
ments (chewing) and the border positions recorded by a pantograph after removal of occlusal
interferences. The test food recordings are for (A) gum, (B) uncooked carrots, and (C)
peanuts. Compare with tracings made before occlusal adjustment (see Fig. 3).

The chewing pattern was heaviest toward the favored side for chewing. No
instructions were given as to how the food was to be chewed. After the tests, the
subjects were questioned as to which side they preferred for chewing. Each subject
had a favored side.
There was a difference in the chewing pattern between the test foods and the
pattern was different for each subject. Gum-chewing patterns were more symetri-
Cal, while the tougher foods, carrots and peanuts, forced the pattern to one side or
the other. The area covered by the individual chewing patterns varied between sub-
jects. Subjects Nos. 2 and 3 covered a large area within the recorded tracing while
subjects Nos. 1 and 4 had more restricted patterns.
The chewing pattern of subjects may be restricted by tooth guidance. Subjects
may not function to the border tracing because of tooth interferences (deflective
occlusal contacts) guiding the mandibular movement away from the border posi-
tions. The occlusion was adjusted on subject No. 1. There were interferences in
centric relation on the mesial inclines of the maxillary lingual cusps. Also heavy
working side interferences were recorded on maxillary right first and second bi-
cuspids. After the occlusion was adjusted this subject functioned closer to the border
tracings from centric relation (Fig. 7) .
‘Vohmle 25 Pantographic tracings 395
Number 4

DISCUSSION
The positioning of the recording apparatus can affect the results in studies of
mandibular movements when graphic tracing devices are ~s.ed.~ Mandibular move-
ments can be influenced by tooth guidance (deflective occlusal contacts), by the
type of food being chewed, and by individual difference among patients.8 This study
indicates that patients will function to the border tracing record made by a panto-
graph if tooth guidances do not restrict the functional movements. Teeth with OC-
clusal interferences can proprioceptively guide mandibular movement around the
deflective occlusal contacts. Muscles become conditioned to this continual feed-
back.g The interference plus the conditioned muscle pattern restrict mandibular
movements. This study suggests that the least proprioceptive type of occlusion would
be one where occlusal interferences do not restrict function and the functional move-
ment can coincide with the border tracing. An occlusion that permits functional
movement to the border positions is one where the muscles and the temporoman-
dibular joints limit the functional movements, rather than the teeth. Tooth inter-
ference coupled with social and psychologic pressures promote parafunctional move-
:ments such as bruxism.8 Therefore, an occlusion with the least tooth interference
*and tooth guidance would be one that harmonizes with the border movements. The
Ipantograph is an instrument that can be used to record the border movements.
Beyron*O suggests that an optimum functional occlusion is one with “multifunc-
,tional” and “multidirectional” components. Our study suggests that an occlusion in
:harmony with the border tracings would provide these components. This occlusion
would permit lateral function which provides the stimulus for maintenance of a
stable occlusion with even wear potentials and less potential for shifting and hyper-
erupting teeth.
Criticism might be given to this study because of the bulkiness of the pantograph
attached to the teeth and the extra weight. However, the affect of the pantograph
attached to the teeth was not significant enough to override the differences in chew-
ing patterns evident through comparison of the individuals and the test foods or the
change in chewing pattern after occlusal interferences were reduced. No doubt the
instrumentation had some effect on the mandibular movement but not enough to
eliminate the pantograph as a research tool in studying mandibular movements or
as a practical tool in restoring the occlusal surfaces of teeth.

SUMMARY
Inconsistencies exist in the literature concerning the relationship of functional
mandibular movements and border tracings recorded by pantographs, This study
was undertaken to determine the relationship of functional movement and border
tracings. A pantograph was assembled to clutches attached to anterior teeth. Chew-
ing studies were performed on four subjects using different test foods. The func-
tional movements of two subjects contacted the border tracing frequently from ten-
tric relation while the functional movements of two subjects were restricted to the
tracings made from centric occlusion and influenced by occlusal interferences. The
occlusion of one of the subjects with restricted functional movements was adjusted,
and subsequently, the functional movements frequently contacted the border tracings.
396 Clayton, Kotowicz, and Zahler J. Prosth: Dent.
Apd, 1971

This study suggests that occlusion in harmony with border tracings may be the most
physiologic.

CONCLUSION
Subjects can function to the border tracing recorded by a pantograph provided
tooth guidance (deflective occlusal contacts) is not present to deflect the functional
movements away from the border tracings.

References
1. McCollum, B. B.: Fundamentals Involved in Prescribing Restorative Dental Remedies,
Dent. Items Interest 61: 852-863, 1939.
2. McCollum, B. B., and Stuart, C. E.: A Research Report, South Pasadena, Calif., 1955,
Scientific Press.
3. Posselt, U.: Sagittal Condylar Guidance, Dent. Abstr. 5: 629, 1960.
4. Kurth, L. E.: Mandibular Movements in Mastication, J. Amer. Dent. Ass. 29: 17691790,
1942.
5. Payne, H. S.: A Study of Posterior Occlusion in Duplicate Dentures, J. PROSTH. DENT.
1: 322-326, 1951.
6. Schweitzer, J. M.: Masticatory Function in Man, J. PROSTH. DENT. 11: 625-647, 1961.
7. Clayton, J. A., Kotowicz, W. E., and Myers, G. E.: Graphic Recordings of Mandibular
Movements: Research Criteria, J. PROSTH. DENT. 25: 287-298, 1971.
8. Ramfjord, S. P., and Ash, M. M.: Occlusion, Philadelphia, 1966, W. B. Saunders Com-
pany, pp. 62-93.
9. Beyron, H. L.: Optimal Occlusion, Dent. Clin. N. Amer. 13: 537-554, 1969.
10. Beyron, H. L., Occlusal Changes in Adult Dentition, J. Amer. Dent. Ass. 48: 674-687,
1954.

THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN