ANSWERS

What is a face bow record?

A face bow record is a clinical measurement that captures the spatial relationship of the maxillary arch to the temporomandibular joints and a horizontal reference plane. The record transfers that orientation to a semi-adjustable or fully adjustable articulator, letting the lab mount the maxillary cast in the same p...

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Why it works this way

What the record actually captures

A face bow is a caliper-like instrument with a bite fork that seats against the maxillary teeth and two condylar pointers (or earpieces) that locate the approximate hinge axis of the TMJs. The third reference is a horizontal plane, usually Frankfort or the Camper's plane, marked at the orbital pointer. Those three points define the maxillary cast's position in three dimensions on the articulator. Without the record, the lab is guessing at the occlusal plane orientation and the radius of mandibular closure.

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Do I need to send a face bow record for a single crown?

No. For a single posterior crown, an accurate centric bite registration mounted on a semi-adjustable articulator at average condylar settings produces a restoration that seats with minimal occlusal adjustment. Dani Dental reserves the face bow requirement for full-mouth rehabs, full-arch implant cases, vertical dimension changes, and anterior cases with three or more units where excursive guidance is being engineered into the restoration. For single units, skip the face bow and send a clean PVS centric record.

Can a digital face bow replace a traditional one?

Yes, on cases that are already running through a digital workflow. Dani Dental accepts Modjaw, Zebris JMA, and iJaw records and imports them directly into exocad or 3Shape for virtual articulator mounting. The mathematical transfer is equivalent to a traditional Whip Mix or Denar transfer; the difference is that the record never leaves the digital pipeline. For analog workflows where stone casts are being mounted physically, a traditional face bow is still the right tool.

What happens if I skip the face bow on a full-arch case?

The maxillary cast gets mounted at an arbitrary occlusal plane orientation, which means the articulator's arc of closure no longer matches the patient's. Restorations come back with occlusal interferences in lateral and protrusive excursions, and centric contacts that read fine on the articulator but high in the mouth. On full-arch implant prosthetics, this typically means a 45 to 90 minute chairside adjustment appointment, and on hybrids it can require sectioning and re-fabrication. The face bow record prevents the rework.

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