Rationale of the face-bow in maxillary cast mounting

Abstract 1.The purpose of the face-bow is to orient the maxillary cast to the condyles of the articulator in six defined positions. 2.The immediate history and advantages of the face-bow are outlined. 3.The advantages of the empirical face-bow over the kinematic face-bow are discussed. 4.Errors incorporated by the arbitrary mounting of the casts are discussed as related to bodily malposition of the maxillary cast and intramalposition of the maxillary cast. 5.A procedure involving both the arbitrary and the face-bow method of cast mounting is discussed, and the results are used to illustrate the errors.