Thickness evaluation of articulating papers and foils.

Articulation and occlusion test materials are tools used in daily prosthodontic and restorative procedures that aid the clinicians in the evaluation of adjacent and opposing natural and/or artificial tooth contacts. A precision micrometer (Series 293, Mitutoyo, Japan) with a resolution of 0.001 mm was used to measure the thickness of five articulating papers and six articulation foils. Four of the articulating foils tested presented thicknesses inferior or equal to 21 μm, confirming their adequacy for the evaluation of natural dentitions. Clinicians and researchers should be aware that some labeled and actual papers/foils thicknesses are not in accordance. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The thickness of articulating papers and foils reported by some manufacturers is not accurate. The information provided in this article may aid clinicians and researchers to better select the most appropriate materials for the evaluation of static and dynamic occlusion.