Arrangement of

artificial teeth

Dr. Enas Abdul-Sattar

Arrangement of artificial teeth

Is the placement of the teeth on the denture base.

After mounting of upper and lower bite rims on
the articulator in proper way, the artificial teeth
arranged on the bite rims in centric occlusion.
Arrangement of teeth should be in harmony with
patient’s esthetic, speech & functions like
chewing.
Appearance and function cannot be restored with
artificial teeth unless they are placed in the same
position of the natural teeth that were found
inside the patient mouth before their extraction.
Guide lines of teeth setting:
In teeth setting ,there are certain guide lines that should be
drawn in the casts to determine the position of the teeth:
A- On Maxillary cast: we should draw
line bisecting the incisive papilla horizontally , this line
aids in setting of upper anterior teeth.
midline which is drawn over the median palatine suture
and bisecting the incisive papilla vertically then
complete it on the anterior wall of the cast.
Canine eminence lines: record these two lines on the lateral
walls of the cast on both sides aid in setting of the six
maxillary anterior teeth which occupy the space
between the distal of right canine eminence & the distal
of left canine eminence.
B- On Mandibular cast: we should draw
1- line bisecting the residual ridge
anteriorly, aid in setting of lower anterior
teeth.
2- Canine eminence lines.
3- line that bisects the crest of the residual
ridge posteriorly from canine area to
retromolar pad on both sides of the cast
used as a guid for the buccolingual
position of the mandibular posterior teeth.
 Upper cast Lower cast
3 3
3
3
midline
1
2
Ridge
crest

2 2
Sequence of artificial teeth arrangements:-
there are several methods in sequence of teeth
arrangement
First method: starting with upper anterior
because there is a constant relation between
upper centrals and incisive papilla.
Then we set lower anterior, then upper posterior
teeth, and then lower posterior teeth.
Second method: start with upper anterior teeth,
then upper posterior teeth, then lower anterior
teeth, and finally lower posterior teeth.
Third method: start with upper anterior, then
lower anterior, then lower posterior teeth, and
finally the upper posterior teeth.
Setting Anterior Teeth
Arrangement of upper anterior teeth:
In setting of teeth we must cut through the bite
rim by wax knife a space equal to that of the
tooth, and then seal the tooth in its position
by wax.
Upper central incisor (C.I):
*in frontal plane, we should attach the tooth to the record
base over the anterior region of the residual ridge, its
incisal edge should be in contact with the occlusal plane
(i.e touching the mounting table), its long axis is
perpendicular to the occlusal plane & some times shows
a slight distal inclination, its mesial contact area should
touch the midline of the bite rim
*in sagittal plane, the tooth has a slight
labial inclination to give support to the
upper lip, the neck is slightly depressed
(the incisal edge is more prominent than
the cervical area of the tooth), and the
facial surface of the tooth is nearly
perpendicular to the occlusal plane.
*In horizontal or occlusal plane, the labial surface
of the central incisor should be located at a
distance of 6-8 mm from the centre of the incisive
papilla.
The mesial of each tooth should be on the midline (arrow)
and the incisal edge should be parallel to and in contact
with the occlusal plane.
Viewed from the frontal plane, the maxillary central incisor is
placed so that the long axis perpendicular or shows a slight
distal inclination to the perpendicular.
 Inner edge of the land
When viewed from profile or
sagittal , the tooth has a slight labial
inclination to give support to the
upper lip, the neck is slightly
depressed (the incisal edge is more
prominent than the cervical area of
the tooth), and the facial surface of
the tooth is nearly perpendicular to Occlusal plane
the occlusal plane.
 *In horizontal or occlusal plane, the labial
surface of the central incisor should be located
at a distance of 6-8 mm from the centre of the
incisive papilla.
 Lateral incisors

In frontal plane
The maxillary lateral incisor should be positioned with a
slight distal inclination (5-10 degree to the midline) and is
usually ½ to 1 mm above the plane of occlusion.
 Lateral incisors
*in sagittal plane
it shows slight labial
inclination, its neck is
depressed more than the C.I.
 Lateral incisors

*in horizontal plane,it must follow the arch curvature

 Canine

When viewed in frontal plane the cuspid has a

slight distal inclination from the perpendicular and
the incisal tip touches the occlusal plane (arrow).
Cuspids
 Cuspids

The cuspid has two planes on the labial surface – a

mesial plane (yellow line) and a distal plane (red line).
When viewed from the anterior only the mesial plane
should be visible. the mesial plane should follow the
contour of the anterior teeth while the distal plane follow
the contour of the posterior teeth.
*in sagittal plane, is perpendicular to the
occlusal plane, the incisal tip of the canine
touches the occlusal plane. Its neck is
prominent & supports the corner of patient's
the mouth

*in horizontal plane, This tooth is rotated with

arch and represents the transition from anterior
teeth to posterior teeth and represents the
corner or turning point of upper arch.
 When viewed from the
occlusal the anterior teeth
follow the curvature of the
dental arch.
Note the inclinations of the anterior teeth.
Setting the Mandibular
Anterior Denture Teeth
Lower central incisor:
*in frontal plane, the midline of lower C.I should
be coinside with the midline of upper C.I , its
incisal edge must be above the level of occlusal
plane by 1mm . its tip it slightly labially.
When we close the articulator we should have
what we call it over bite or the vertical overlap
Over bite is the vertical extension of the upper
anterior teeth on the lower anterior teeth when
the posterior teeth are in centric occlusion. This
overlap depends on several factors, but
generally speaking over bite should be about 1-
2 mm.
 Vertical overlap 1-2 mm Horizontal overlap2-4 mm

The other thing in arrangement of the lower anterior teeth is that we

should have over jet which is the extension of the lower anterior
teeth beyond the upper anterior teeth, this amount we call it over
jet (2-4mm).
The incisal guidance angle
is the angle formed by a
line drawn through the
Incisal angle
incisal edges of the
maxillary and mandibular Vertical
overlap
incisors and the horizontal
plane. It is generally
advisable to keep the
incisal angle to a minimum
in complete dentures to
enhance free movement of
the teeth in protrusive and
lateral excursions so that
about 0.5mm over bite & Occlusal plane
1-2mm over jet must be
In denture construction, the
mandibular incisors should
never touch the maxillary
incisor in centric occlusion
and incisal guide angle should
be kept as low as possible to
enhance free movement of the
teeth in protrusive and lateral
excursions so that about
0.5mm over bite & 1-2mm
over jet must
be exist to create a low incisal
guidance angle.
*in sagittal plane,it has slight labial
inclination & its neck is depressed.

Occlusal
plane
The lateral incisors should be placed similar in angulation and
position to the central incisors.
The cuspids the long axis is very slightly inclined
mesially and the neck is more prominent than the
tip, the tip of lower canine will be in the embrasure
between upper lateral incisor and upper canine & its
distal slope should be opposed to the mesial slope of
upper canine, it's called normal canine position.
The horizontal overlap should be consistent throughout the
anterior region. At this stage it should be about 1.5 mm.
SETTING THE LATERAL INCISORS AND CUSPIDS
Arrangement of the upper
posterior teeth
Maxillary first premolar: The facial surface of
the maxillary first premolar must harmonize
with the canine.The long axis of the premolar
should be perpendicular to the occlusal plane
and the buccal and lingual cusp tips should
touch the occlusal plane.
its lingual cusp tip should contact the line
inscribed on the lower occlusion rim indicating
the crest of the lower residual ridge.

The same thing is done to maxillary second

premolar.
 Occlusal plane

The long axis of the premolars should be perpendicular to the

occlusal plane and the buccal and lingual cusp tips should touch
the occlusal plane.
 The Maxillary Premolars

Both the buccal and lingual cusp tips of the maxillary premolars
should contact the plane of occlusion. The lingual cusp tips
should also contact the line inscribed on the plane
indicating the crest of the mandibular ridge. This will ensure that
when the opposing mandibular denture teeth are properly
positioned and in occlusion, their central fossae will be centered
over the mandibular ridge.
 The Maxillary 1st Molar

The set up viewed in profile. Note that the mesial lingual cusp tip
touches the plane of occlusion along with the buccal and lingual
cusps of the premolars while the buccal cusps tips and the
distolingual cusp tip are elevated about 0.5mm of the occlusal plane.
The curve of Spee begins at the 1st molar.
*Compensating curve: is the anterio-posterior
curvature of the occlusal surface of a complete
denture teeth (in sagittal plane) and the
mediolateral curvature in the frontal plane. The
compensating curves are called so because
they compensate for that present in natural
dention. Compensating curves may be
increased or decreased in an artificial dentition
to help achievement of balanced occlusion.
The Maxillary 1st Molar

The compensatory curve of Wilson and the curve of Spee begin in

the molar region. The mesial lingual cusp tip of the 1st molar
contacts the occlusal plane but the buccal cusp tips and the distal
lingual cusp are elevated about .5mm off the occlusal plane.
Compensating curve for curve of Spee is the
curvature of the occlusal alignment of the
teeth. It begins at the tip of the lower canine
follows the buccal cusps of the premolars and
molars and continues to the anterior border of
the mandibular ramus.

Compensatory curve for

curve of spee
Compensating curve for curve of Wilson is the
curvature in the frontal plane through the cusp
tips of both the right and left molars.
 The Maxillary 2nd Molar

Maxillary second molar, the compensatory curve is continued

by elevating the 2nd molar above the plane of occlusion.
The 2nd molar is elevated to an even greater degree than the
1st molar, about 15 degrees in the average patient, with a slight
curve of Wilson.
 Mandibular posterior teeth arrangement:

In which, their central fossa must coinced or

placed over the crest of the lower residual ridge.
 The Mandibular 1st Molar

is first tooth set into centric occlusion and checked carefully.

its mesiobuccal cusp tip should engage the embrasure
between the 1st molar and 2nd premolar.
The Mandibular 1st Molar

Check the relationship from the

lingual side. Make sure that the
maxillary lingual cusp tips
engage the the central fossa of
the mandibular molar.
Mandibular second premolar: its buccal cusp should
occlude with the adjacent marginal ridges of the
maxillary 1st and 2nd premolars.

Mandibular first premolar: its buccal cusp should engage

the mesial marginal ridge of the opposing 1st premolar.

Mandibular second molar: make sure that the lingual cusp

of the maxillary 2nd molar properly occludes with the
central fossa of the mandibular 2nd molar.
Thank You