Name: Hessah Abdullah Alhuwaish

Degree: BDS, DScD

Nationality: Saudi

Title: Occlusal Cant Identifying Tool

Summery:

Some patients suffer from a tilt in the upper jaw and dentition on the transverse plane (Occlusal Cant). Basic clinical methods are available to identify this discrepancy, such as a wooden tongue depressor tool, however, without specifying the degree of tilt accurately, which makes clinician resort to plain radiographs or more sophisticated computed tomography scans to determine the degree of tilt in the occlusal plain in an accurate and detailed manner.

The presented occlusal cant identifying tool provides an accurate and practical means of calculating the degree of occlusal tilt in an easy and safe manner without subjecting the patient into ionizing radiations. This tool can measure the occlusal tilt in relation to the true horizontal plane without get effected by the any sort of facial asymmetry.

It includes a frame having an elongated horizontal portion and a pair of parallel adjustable side arms movably attached to the horizontal portion to fit all patients’ facial width. The tool further includes a measuring assembly positioned on the rear of the horizontal portion. The measuring assembly includes a protractor rotatably attached to the rear of the horizontal portion, the protractor being configured to rotate on a horizontal axis in relation to the horizontal portion, and a bite plate connected to the protractor, the bite plate being adjustable forward and backward in relation to the protractor.

The tool will be stabilized on the patients’ ears via the adjustable side arms patient is instructed to bite on the bite plate, and if occlusal canting or tilt is present, the direction and the degree of canting will be quantified by the rotation of the protractor.

This instrument is used in the clinical examination where the tool will be stabilized on the patients’ ears via the adjustable side arms, and the bite plate will be placed on the occlusal surfaces of the upper teeth while making sure that the horizontal portion remains parallel (to the true horizontal plane) by using the spirit level attached to it. In the case of an occlusal tilt, the degree of inclination will be determined and calculated using a protractor. Accordingly, the dentist can know the direction and degree of inclination at that early stage of the clinical examination without necessarily needing x-ray or CT scans.