When I started my dental career a few decades ago, in the every day routine we didn't care much for the articulators with incisal pin and lazy us, just used those without the pin. It was easier to work with them. We set the adjusting screw at the back of the articulators for vertical setting. A bite that was a little bit open or a little bit closed didn't bother us, because what we couldn't measure we couldn't realize. A set-up, which slanted left or right a little, was not measurable or recognizable on the articulator. We couldn't even mount the casts perfectly straight, matching correctly the patient’s anatomy. The articulators had no occlusial mounting plate. Patients, or us, didn't always recognize it, since in the ‘denture age’ most of them had slightly distorted lips anyway.

How about precisely measuring other things, like liquid-powder ratio when mixing gypsum, alginate, or investment? No, we didn't measure, we did everything by experience; just by eyeballing. This was the way they taught us! But I didn't like it this way! I missed something! I wanted to be precise, and I wanted to measure!

In that time when I started my dental career, I had friends from "intelligent" professions, as I called those where they performed the job by blueprints, measurements. They measured work pieces with millimeters, tenths or hundredths of the millimeter, they used calipers, gauges. They could mention measuring units like Volt, Amp, Watt, Ohm, what they went by! Can you blame me if I was jealous of them? Simply, because I felt their work was accurate, precise, and mine was not! They were engineers, electronic-, radio-, and TV technicians. In the dental office or lab we didn't measure anything, just did everything by eyeballing! I considered my profession a primitive, instinctive one. My work was not measurable, therefore the quality was questionable in my eyes. I knew that it was not exactly compatible with the patients’ human anatomy! It bothered me if I saw a crooked denture, slanted bridge, or out-bulging crown in somebody's mouth. I became a sharp eyed, critical, unhappy observer of dental works. I felt that it is needed to invent something in the dental profession, which we can precisely measure with; A tool, which used by anybody - even without great senses - can create "precise" dental appliances.

Well, here comes the good news! My dream actually came through! In February of 1990 I was invited to a seminar held by ACCU-LINER SYSTEMS INC. Their flyer said:

It can be believed that the ACCU-LINER is the instrument for solving current dental occlusal problems as well as a measurable research tool for the 1990's and in the Twenty-First Century. It can be used in Orthodontics, Pedodontics, Prosthetics, Crown & Bridge, Periodontics, Implantology, TMJ..." everywhere!

That's it! - I yelled. - finally a genius was born, and I have to meet him! I went to the seminar excited like going to a blind date, and I didn't suffer disappointments! Can you blame me if I fell in love with this ACCU-LINER instrument and concept at the first sight? Not only my old dream came true, but my beshamed professional pride got restored too. From now on my profession can be mentioned as an "intelligent profession", now we can measure, be precise in our work, and can create artistic, nature-like dental appliances. Serve the patient and solve the existing anatomical problem properly.

I've had my first Instrument since then. All my articulators, even the fancy ones like Denar, Hanau are collecting dust. With those I couldn't measure with millimeters tooth position, tooth length, symmetry, horizontal and vertical positions, protrusive or lateral movements, condyle relation to the compensating plane of occlusion. Those fancy articulators are just 'stylish', expensive, and bulky. I don’t understand the meaning of the word "Remake" any more! Do I sound proud?

I know that not many dental offices or laboratories have ACCU-LINER INSTRUMENT and/or understand the concept yet. Perhaps most never even heard about it. It is a relatively new invention, which didn't have enough time to be introduced or advertised widely. (I have years of experience with mine since 1990) The DTAW (Dental Technician Association of Washington) have study club meetings nine months out of twelve, and provides continuing education credits for CDT Dental Technicians. Also the WDA’s (Denturist Association of Washington) study club offers the same to its members and to other dental professionals. The Study Clubs have classes about the ACCU-LINER time to time. Those who seek for superiority in their every day work-routine, will have chances to participate.

Meantime measure at least those liquid - powder ratios please when mixing Alginate!

Hopefully my present subject will attract some attention, since - I believe - the precision issue was not just my problem... until now!