The Effect of Average Value Mounting and Facebow Transfer on Condylar Guidance Settings in a Semi-Adjustable Articulator – A Comparative Study using Digital Lateral Cephalographs in Edentulous Patients

Background: While we attempt to restore occlusion in completely edentulous patients there is a consensus among clinicians to articulate the cast using average value and avoid performing facebow transfer. Various studies question the application of facebow transfer in the fabrication of removable complete denture fabrication. Aim: This study was therefore aimed to study the effect on condylar guidance with casts mounted by the facebow method, Bonwill’s method, and radiographic method. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using casts of edentulous patients attending the Department of Prosthodontics. After establishing a tentative jaw relationship using wax occlusal rims in the edentulous participants, the casts were mounted by Bonwill’s method and the facebow transfer method to a semi-adjustable articulator. Protrusive records of the subjects were used to program the articulator to obtain the condylar guidance values. Digital lateral cephalographs were made both in centric and protrusive jaw relationships. The mandibular condyles were then traced and overlapped to obtain radiographic values. The condylar guidance values obtained by Bonwill’s method, facebow method and radiographic method were compared using Wilcoxon’s signed rank test and Mann–Whitney U test. The SPSS Statistics for Windows (Version 21.0. Armonk, NY, USA:IBM Corp.), and, at a probability value of 0.05, the significance of every statistical test was predetermined. Results: Ten edentulous 45–70 year olds participated in the study. The mean discrepancy between radiography and facebow methods was 12.8° for the right side and 12.7° for the left ( P < 0.005). The difference between radiography and Bonwill’s methods was significant ( P < 0.005), with a mean difference of 34.3° for the right side and 34.7° for the left side. The difference between Bonwill’s method and the facebow method was significant ( P < 0.005), with a mean difference of 21.5° for the right side and 22° for the left side. Conclusion: The condylar guidance values obtained by clinical methods (Bonwill’s and Facebow) were significantly lesser ( P < 0.005) compared to the values obtained by radiographic method.