Optimal design of a parallel robot for dental articulation

A dental articulator is a mechanical device used to simulate the relative position and motion between the upper and lower jaw when testing dental work or dental treatments (implants or bridges). Typically, it can be adjusted to approximate patient-specific jaw kinematics. However, the use of dental articulators is essentially a trial-and-error method in order to fine-tune fit and function of the dental work. In this paper we propose a robotic articulator suitable for reproducing tracked movements of the patient’s jaw. Based on an asymmetric-leg parallel structure, dimensional synthesis is performed to optimize performance over the range of motion typical of the human jaw. The resulting robotic device is expected to improve workflow in the processing of dental implants. Fabrication and testing of a prototype robot is also presented.