Many of our customers know Prestige director Paul Martin as the go-to expert for all things technical. With decades of experience working with dental attachments, articulators and facebows, Paul has built a reputation for providing practical advice and precision servicing that keeps dental laboratory and surgery equipment performing at its best.

From repairing damaged components to recalibrating Denar articulators and facebows, Paul’s expertise is sought after by dental professionals across the country. Equipment regularly arrives at Prestige for assessment and servicing, and when larger numbers of units require attention, Paul is happy to travel on-site.

hands working on equipment
a row of dental components
Paul working on dental laboratory and surgery equipment

The work can be surprisingly demanding. A single articulator contains numerous small, intricate parts that require careful inspection and adjustment. On particularly busy days, Paul has serviced as many as 30 articulators, leaving him with more than a few sore fingers by the end of the day.

Over the years, Paul has encountered all kinds of unusual repairs, but one of the most memorable involved a Denar Mk II articulator sent in for calibration. The articulator arrived in a wooden box complete with brass hinges and a brass carry handle. Purchased second-hand through eBay, it appeared to be in immaculate, virtually unused condition.

Paul recalls:

“I had never seen an articulator packaged this way before. After making enquiries with the Denar factory, I discovered there was no one still working there who remembered articulators being supplied in a wooden box.

When I started my apprenticeship in 1976, Denar articulators were already being sold in the familiar blue plastic carry cases, so this one had to pre-date 1976. The only explanation we could come up with was that someone bought it, stored it away and simply forgot about it. It was in remarkable condition.”

The discovery was a fascinating reminder of the quality and longevity of well-made dental equipment. While a premium articulator represents a significant investment, its value becomes clear over time. With proper care, regular servicing and respectful use, a quality articulator can provide decades of reliable performance—potentially lasting an entire professional career.

Perhaps this wasn’t the oldest articulator in the world, but it was certainly one of the most interesting to pass across Paul’s workbench.

Here are details about our Calibration & Repair service: https://www.prestige-dental.co.uk/specialist-repair-recalibration-services/

For more information on Denar articulators:  https://www.prestige-dental.co.uk/brand/whip-mix/