IJS-0/07
For Author’s Correction Only
J. Stomat. Occ. Med. (2008) 1: 1–7
DOI 10.1007/s12548-008-0007-3
Printed in Austria
© Springer-Verlag 2008
A study regarding occlusal plane and posterior
disocclusion
M. Hanashima1 , K. Sakakibara1 , R. Slavicek2 , S. Sato3
1
Sakakibara Dental Laboratory, Tokyo, Japan
2
Center of Interdisciplinary Dentistry, Department of Environment and Medical Center, Donau University at Krems,
Krems, Austria
3
Division of Orthodontics, Department of Craniofacial Growth and Development Dentistry, Kanagawa Dental Collage,
Yokosuka, Japan
&
The occlusal plane (OP) is one of the most important ele-
ments involved in occlusal reconstruction in restorative,
prosthodontic and orthodontic treatment. The presence or
absence of posterior interferences depends primarily on the
occlusal plane configuration. In powerful grinding move-
ments of the mandible like bruxism, disocclusion of the
posterior teeth is important to prevent the hyperbalance of
masticatory muscle activity. We have investigated the rela-
tionship between the inclination of the occlusal plane in-
volving the degree of the curve of Spee and the posterior
disocclusion during forward or retrusive condylar move-
ment. Results indicated that increasing the inclination of
the occlusal plane provides posterior interference during
protrusive mandibular movement, while posterior disocclu-
sion is obtained during retrusive movement. Accentuation of
the curve of Spee provides elimination of posterior contact
during retrusive condylar movements. Therefore, the occlu-
sal plane inclination should be properly and carefully ana-
lyzed and must be a part of the diagnosis and treatment
planning prior to any occlusal reconstruction.
Keywords: Posterior disocclusion, curve of Spee, occlusal
plane, retrusive guidance
Introduction
Anatomical features such as the shape of the occlusal surface,
the inclination of the occlusal plane, the facial pattern, and
the functional structure of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
are important determinants of occlusion, and we should take
This research is a part of Miwa Hanashima’s Master Thesis of Advance
Dentistry, Donau University, Krems, Austria. The results of this research
were once published in the Journal of Gnathology and Occlusion, Volume
22, 2002 issue, in Japanese. Therefore this English translation issue is a
secondary publication with copyright permission from Japanese Society of
Gnathology.
Correspondence: Sadao Sato, Research Center of Brain and Oral Science,
Kanagawa Dental College, 82 Inaoka-Cho, Yokosuka 238-8580, Japan.
E-mail: satosada@ca3.so-net.ne.jp
J. Stomat. Occ. Med.
originalarbeit
them into consideration when reconstructing occlusion in
dental practice. However, the literature on occlusion to date
has not provided sufficient information on relationships be-
tween such anatomical features.
D’Amico [1] regarded the canine as a stress breaker, as
it reduces the activity of the temporal and masseter muscles
in the lateral mandibular movement, and he has formulated
the occlusion concept known as canine guidance. Goldstein
[2] investigated the relationship between different schema of
occlusion and periodontal diseases and reported that the
canine guidance had a significantly lower rate of periodontal
disease than those with progressive disocclusion or group
function. Subsequently, many investigators have studied the
significance of posterior disocclusion, and the importance
of occlusion schema controlled by the canine is now being
recognized [3, 4]. Nevertheless, it appears that confusion
exists over the recognition of canine-guided occlusion or
posterior occlusion. At present, there is no definite measure
to what extent the inclination of canine guidance should be
given or how disocclusion of the posterior teeth should be
determined.
Mchorris [5, 6], in a series of his research, pointed
out that occlusal guidance is important, particularly during
parafunction, and emphasized on the importance of bal-
ancing anterior guidance with the sagittal condylar path
(Posterior guidance). Artificial alteration of the balance
between the anterior or canine guidance and the posterior
guidance led to the induction of abnormal activity of mas-
ticatory muscles [7] or displacement of the mandible [8],
and resulted in dysfunction of the TMJ [6]. Taking these facts
together, Slavicek [9–12] advocated the occlusal concept
of sequential guidance, in which guidance of all teeth
should be harmonized with the individual’s facial pattern
and TMJ.
In dental practice, when we attempt to provide a patient
with the ideal occlusal guidance that permits posterior dis-
occlusion, we must consider many factors that influence
occlusion. Particularly, in patients with chronic joint loosen-
ing, complicated mandibular movements often make it diffi-
Occlusal plane and posterior disocclusion in joint loosening 1/2008 1
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cult to establish an ideal occlusal scheme in the preparation of

prostheses and occlusal reconstruction.
In mandibular movement including parafunction, espe-
cially in grinding movements such as bruxism, disoccluding
the posterior molars is important in order to prevent overload
of the TMJ due to the abnormal muscle activity as well as to
prevent overload of the teeth and their supporting structures
[13, 14]. However, in the preparation of prostheses even if
disocclusion seems to be established on the articulator, dis-
occlusion sometimes does not occur as intended in the
patient’s mouth. One possible cause for this is the retrusive
movement of the condyle on the working side, which cannot
be represented on the existing articulator.
The inclination of the occlusal plane and the curve of
Spee are influenced by a facial pattern and are important
factors in determining occlusal pattern and posterior disoc-
clusion. Furthermore, as the inclination of the occlusal plane
is considered to affect the cusp height and the pattern of the
occlusion schema, it is necessary to elucidate how the occlusal
surface and the sagittal condylar inclination influence the
pattern of the occlusion concept.
The purposes of this study were to investigate the rela-
tionships between the inclination of the occlusal plane, oc-
clusion patterns, the amount of posterior disocclusion, and Fig. 1: Three-dimensional positional relationship of the occlusion
scheme used in the study. A study model was established to calculate
the shape of the occlusal surface, and make use of the results the distance when the cusp moves. Assuming an average dentition with
when reconstructing occlusion. Specifically, we focused the an 80-mm radius of the curve of Spee, an inclination of the sagittal
relationships between the inclination of the occlusal plane and condylar path of 44
, and an inclination of anterior guidance of 54
, the
the amount of posterior disocclusion, the inclination of the mandible moves 3 mm at the incisor position. In this situation, the incisor
edge was located 74 mm anterior (X) and 54 mm inferior (Z) from the
occlusal plane and the path of the mandibular movement, the reference position (RP), with the axis orbital plane (AOP) as a reference
retrusive movement of the condyle on the working side and plane
the amount of posterior disocclusion and the curve of Spee
and the posterior disocclusion in the retrusive movement of
the condyle on the working side. As the average values for Japanese population, we have
chosen the sagittal condylar inclination (SCI) 44
and the OP
is 10
. The radius of the curve of Spee is 80 mm.
Materials and methods In patients who show retrusive condylar movement on
the working side, even when an ordinary canine guidance is
Definition of occlusal plane and curve of spee
provided, the resultant guidance would be inappropriate for
In this study, the occlusal plane and the curve of Spee were a proper disocclusion. In such a case, it is effective to create
defined as follows: a guiding surface on the internal slope of the mesio-buccal
Occlusal plane (OP): Occlusal plane was defined as a cusp of the first premolar, and disocclusion of the posterior
plane passing through the edge of lower central incisors and teeth can be made along with the guiding slope, which is
the disto-buccal cusps of the left and right first molars considered to be a path for retrusive guidance in latero-
(Gnathological occlusal plane). Occlusal plane for the Japa- trusive movement [18]. In the case of the retrusive move-
nese norm is reported to be 10
relative to the axis orbital plane ment of the mandible, subtrusive condylar movement is
(AOP) [15, 16]. postulated 30
and retrusive guidance in first premolar is
Curve of Spee: The curve of Spee was defined as a varied from 25 to 40
.
curvature formed by the tip of the canine and the buccal
cusps of the posterior teeth, viewed in the sagittal plane [17].
Amount of posterior disocclusion in the protrusive
The curve of Spee for the Japanese norm is reported to be
mandibular movement
80 mm in radius [18].
To examine the relationship of the inclination of the occlusal
plane to the amount of posterior disocclusion in the protrusive
Research model for disocclusion studies
movement of the mandible, the study model was used to
In order to examine the posterior disocclusion, we have produce the movement of the mandible (5 mm forward at the
selected mean values for the dentition in space as shown in incisor position), and measurements were made on the sagit-
Fig. 1. The position of the lower incisal edge is located 74 mm tal drawing of the model. The positional relationship of the
anterior to RP along the X-axis and 54 mm downward from parameters is shown in Fig. 2. In this protrusive movement,
RP along the Z-axis. Tooth size is postulated as an average the disto-buccal cusp of the lower first molar moved forward
value, where the distance between the upper canine passive 2.9 mm (X) and downward 3.8 mm (Z), and the vertical dis-
centric and the upper first molar central groove, is 30 mm. tance (D) from the occlusal plane to the cusp was regarded as

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Fig. 2: Positional relationship of parameters in the protrusive movement.
Using the study model, when the mandible moved forward 5 mm at the
incisor position, the distance that the disto-buccal cusp tip of the lower
first molar moved was measured. The amount of disocclusion, defined
as the vertical distance from the moved cusp tip to the occlusal plane (D)
was calculated
the amount of posterior disocclusion, as calculated with the
following equation:


Z pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
D ¼ sin arctan  OP  X 2 þ Z 2
X
where OP is the inclination of the occlusal plane relative to
AOP (Fig. 2).
Amount of posterior disocclusion in the retrusive
movement
We examined the relationship of the retrusive movement of
the mandible to the amount of the posterior disocclusion in
Fig. 3: Relationship between the inclination of retrusive guidance in the
retrusive movement and the distance that the condyle moved. When
the inclination of retrusive guidance differs, the amount by which the
condyle moves backward changes. When the inclination of retrusive
guidance is steeper, the amount of disocclusion of the posterior teeth
is increased, but the distance that the condyle moves backward
becomes shorter
J. Stomat. Occ. Med.
originalarbeit
Fig. 4: Changes in the tooth axis of the lower first molar and the occlusal
plane after adjustment by the curve of Spee. If the mandibular dentition is
aligned along the curve of Spee, the first molar tooth axis is mesially
inclined by the angle a relative to the dentition with a flat occlusal plane,
so the slope of the occlusal plane on the first molar itself becomes
steeper by angle a
the sagittal plane was examined. When the mandible moves
backward, both the distance that the disto-buccal cusp of the
first molar moves and the distance that the condyle moves
backward differ, as the inclination of retrusive guidance on
the first premolar changes (Fig. 3). At a fixed positional
relationship between the condyle and the lower dentition,
when the lower first premolar moves a given distance, the
steeper the inclination of retrusive guidance is, the more
distance the molar moves downward, but the less distance
the condyle moves downward.
Under the study model, when the condyle was moved
1 mm posterior-superiorly at 30
, and when the buccal cusp of
the lower first premolar moved 3 mm along the retrusive
guidance on the upper first premolar at 30
, the disto-buccal
cusp of the lower first premolar moved 2.7 mm (X) backward,
and 0.9 mm (Z) downward. From these values, the amount of
posterior disocclusion (D) was calculated with the following
equation:


Z pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
D ¼ sin arctan þ OP  X 2 þ Z 2
X
where OP is the inclination of the occlusal plane relative to
AOP (Fig. 4).
Curve of Spee and amount of the posterior disocclusion
We examined the relationship of the occlusal plane to the
curve of Spee on the diagram. If the dentition from the canine
through the second molar is aligned along the curve of Spee,
the axis of the first molar on the occlusal plane is mesially
declined by angle a (Fig. 5) relative to a flat dentition; i.e.,
the occlusal plane at the first molar is steeper than the whole
occlusal plane owing to the declination along the curve of
Spee. The angle difference was calculated.
Two isosceles triangles were defined: one consists of the
radius of the curve of Spee as each of the equal sides and a line
from the canine through the first molar on the occlusal plane
as the base; the other consists of the radius of the curve of Spee
as each of the equal sides and a part of the occlusal plane
corresponding to the first molar (the axis of which was altered
by the curve of Spee) as the base. The triangles were compared
and the difference of the base angles was denoted as the
change of the occlusal plane (angle a). The line from the
canine through the first molar is about 30 mm, and the mesio-
Occlusal plane and posterior disocclusion in joint loosening 1/2008 3
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posterior disocclusion at the cusp of the first molar (Tab. 2,

Fig. 6).

Amount of posterior disocclusion in retrusive movement

When the inclination of the retrusive guidance was 25
, 30

and 40
, respectively, and the distance moved was 3 mm, the
distance that the disto-buccal cusp of the lower first molar
moved (Tab. 1) and the vertical distance (amount of disocclu-
sion) between the cusp tip (calculated from the inclination of
the occlusal plane) and the occlusal plane were calculated
(Tab. 3, Fig. 7). When the inclination of the retrusive guidance
was 30
, the disto-buccal cusp of the lower first molar moved
backward 2.7 mm and downward 0.9 mm; when the occlusal
Fig. 5: Positional relationship of parameters in the retrusive movement. plane was 0
, 10
, 20
and 30
, the distance from the cusp tip to
By using the study model, the distance that the disto-buccal cusp tip of the occlusal plane was 0.9 mm, 1.4 mm, 1.8 mm and 2.1 mm,
the lower first molar moved was measured, and the amount of disocclu- respectively. When the inclination of the retrusive guidance
sion, defined as the vertical distance from the moved cusp tip to the
occlusal plane (D) was calculated
Tab. 1: Moving distance of condyle and first
distal crown dimension of the first molar tooth is about 11 mm. molar disto-buccal cusp during retrusive
Thus, if we assume that the mesio-distal crown dimension of movement
the first molar tooth is one-third of the length of the dentition,
angle a can be calculated with the following equation: Retrusive Retral movement Movement of
(
) of the condyle disto-buccal
a ¼ ðq  q  3Þ  2 (mm) Cusp (mm)
where q is the apex of the first triangle defined above, in which X Z
the base is about 30 mm. 25 1.3 2.8 0.7
30 1.0 2.7 0.9
40 0.5 2.4 1.2
Results
Amount of posterior disocclusion in the protrusive
movement Tab. 2: Disocclusion of first molar in protrusive
When the disto-buccal cusp of the lower first molar moved movement
forward 2.9 mm and downward 3.8 mm and the inclination of
OP inclination Vertical distance
the occlusal plane was 0
, the distance from the cusp tip to the (
) of disocclusion (mm)
occlusal plane was calculated as 3.8 mm. When the occlusal
plane was 10
, 20
and 30
, the distance was 3.2 mm, 2.6 mm 0 3.8
and 1.8 mm, respectively. Thus in the protrusive movement, 10 3.2
the steeper the occlusal plane was, the less the amount of the
20 2.6
30 1.8

Tab. 3: First molar disocclusion during retrusive

Disocclusion (mm)

3
movement
2 OP (
) Vertical distance of
disocclusion (mm)
1 Retrusive guidance (
) 25 30 40
Retral movement condyle (mm) 1.3 1.0 0.5
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 0 0.7 0.9 1.2
OP inclination (°) 10 1.2 1.4 1.6

Fig. 6: Relationship between the inclination of the occlusal plane and 15 1.4 1.6 1.8
the amount of disocclusion at the disto-buccal cusp of the first molar in
20 1.6 1.8 1.9
the protrusive movement. In the protrusive movement, the steeper the
occlusal plane is, the less the amount of disocclusion at the cusp of the 30 2.0 2.1 2.2
first molar is

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2.5 the Kanagawa Dental College, the cusp height of the upper
first molar was measured as 1.99 mm 0.27 (mean  SD). If
2 we consider that disocclusion can be provided when the
Disocclusion (mm)

distance moved in the mandibular movement is more than

1.5 this value, from the results of the above calculations, in order
RG40°
to produce an adequate disocclusion at the first molar in the
1 RG30°
retrusive movement in addition to protrusive movement in
RG25° the mandible, the inclination of the occlusal plane needs to be
0.5 set 20
–30
(Fig. 8). However, making the whole occlusal plane
steeper will result in the decreased disocclusion in the whole
0 dentition, particularly in the protrusive movement, which
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 should be avoided as the risk of interference is relatively
OP inclination (°) enhanced.

Fig. 7: Relationship between the inclination of the occlusal plane, the

inclination of retrusive guidance (RG), and the amount of disocclusion at
the disto-buccal cusp of the first molar in the retrusive movement.
In the retrusive movement, the steeper the occlusal plane is, the greater
the amount of disocclusion at the cusp of the first molar is. So if the
inclination of retrusive guidance (RG) is made steeper, the amount of
disocclusion is increased, whereas if RG is made flatter, the amount of
disocclusion is decreased
was 25
, the cusp moved backward 2.8 mm and downward
0.7 mm; when the occlusal plane was 0
and 30
, the distance
was 0.7 mm and 2.0 mm, respectively. When the inclination of
the retrusive guidance was 40
, the cusp moved backward
2.4 mm and downward 1.2 mm; when the inclination of the
occlusal plane was 0
and 30
, the distance was 1.2 mm and
2.2 mm, respectively (Tabs. 1 and 3). Therefore, the amount of
disocclusion was increased, when the inclination of the re-
trusive guidance was made steeper, but at the same time, as
stated in the above, the distance that the condyle moved
backward was decreased; whereas when the inclination of
the retrusive guidance was made flatter, the condyle further
moved backward, but the amount of the disocclusion was
decreased.
Cusp height of the natural teeth
In the analysis of posterior disocclusion, it is necessary to know
the height of the natural teeth. Thus, using the 20 cast models
made from individuals at the growing stage which were kept at
4
3.5
Disocclusion (mm)
Curve of Spee and posterior disocclusion
When the radius of the curve of Spee was set at 60 mm, 80 mm,
and 100 mm, the occlusal plane of the first molar became 9.7
,
7.2
, and 5.8
, respectively, steeper than that of the whole
dentition (Tab. 4). These results together with the amount of
disocclusion in the protrusive movement obtained above
indicate that the steeper the occlusal plane of the first molar
is, the less the amount of disocclusion of the posterior teeth is
(Tab. 5). In contrast, in the retrusive movement, the amount of
disocclusion is increased by giving the slope to the first molar
in line with the curve of Spee (Tab. 6). Particularly in the
retrusive movement, when the radius of the curve of Spee
is small, the mandibular dentition moves downward with
a greater angle than that of the upper dentition, at the
early period of movement, the distance between the cusp
and the occlusal plane diverges, which facilitates disocclusion
(Fig. 9).
Tab. 4: Change in the occlusal plane at the lower
first molar at different radii of the curve of Spee
Radius of Spee (mm) Change in OP at first molar (
)
60 þ9.7
80 þ7.2
100 þ5.8

3
AG54°
Tab. 5: Effect of OP inclination and curve of Spee
2.5 RG40°
RG30° on the posterior disocclusion during protrusive
2
RG25° movement
1.5
1
OP Radius of Spee Disocclusion
inclination (mm) (mm)
0.5 (
) 0 10 15 20
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Flat 4.2 3.6 3.4 3.1
OP inclination (°)
100 3.9(0.3) 3.3(0.3) 3.0(0.4) 2.7(0.4)
Fig. 8: Relationship between the inclination of the occlusal plane and the 80 3.8(0.4) 3.2(0.4) 2.9(0.5) 2.6(0.5)
amount of disocclusion at the disto-buccal cusp of the first molar in the
protrusive and retrusive movements. To provide an appropriate amount 60 3.7(0.5) 3.0(0.6) 2.7(0.7) 2.4(0.7)
of disocclusion at the first molar in the retrusive movement in addition to

the protrusive movement of the mandible, an angle of inclination of the Number inside the parenthesis represents the difference in flat OP inclination
occlusal plane of 20
to 30
is needed

J. Stomat. Occ. Med. Occlusal plane and posterior disocclusion in joint loosening 1/2008 5
 originalarbeit

Tab. 6: Effect of OP inclination and curve of Spee
on the posterior disocclusion during retrusive
movement (Difference from “flat”)
OP Radius of Spee Disocclusion (mm)
inclination (mm)
(
) 0 10 15
Flat 0.6 1.1 1.3
100 0.9( þ 0.3) 1.3(þ0.2) 1.5(þ0.2)
80 0.9(þ0.3) 1.4(þ0.3) 1.6(þ0.3)
60 1.0(þ0.4) 1.5(þ0.4) 1.6(þ0.3)
 In this study, the mean cusp height of the upper first
Number inside the parenthesis represents the difference in flat OP inclination
Fig. 9: Relationship between the radius of the curve of Spee, the amount
of disocclusion, and the direction of disocclusion. The diagram shows
the relationship of different radii of the curve of Spee to the movement
direction. Particularly in retrusive movement, when the radius is small,
the mandibular dentition moves downward at a greater angle than the
maxillary dentition does, and thus at the early period of movement the
distance diverges, which facilitates disocclusion
Discussion
When occlusion is regarded as a dynamic movement, the start
of the movement is the intercuspal position where the cusps of
the maxillary and mandibular teeth are in the maximum
contact. At this position, the condyle and the TMJ are con-
sidered to be in the most stable state owing to the occlusal
support. From this position, the mandible moves in a three-
dimensional direction, i.e. protrusively, laterotrusively, and
retrusively. In most occlusal concepts proposed so far, occlu-
sal guidance and posterior disocclusion are considered in
the context of the protrusive or laterotrusive movement of
the mandible, but not much attention has been paid to the
retrusive condylar movement on the working side.
However, in patients with a skeletal Class II jaw relation-
ship or joint loosening, the condyle on the working side tends
to move backward. In such a case, posterior disocclusion can
be achieved by creating guidance during the protrusive man-
dibular movement on the inner lingual or buccal slope of the
upper first premolar. However, under such a condition, if the
occlusal plane is made flat in order to provide the posterior
disocclusion during the protrusive movement, interference
will occur during the retrusive movement; whereas if the
occlusal plane is made steeper in order to provide posterior
disocclusion during the retrusive movement, interference will
occur during the protrusive movement. Thus, we face an
enormous difficulty if we are to establish an occlusal scheme
20 to ensure posterior disocclusion in either movement.
The determinants of posterior disocclusion include the
1.6 cuspal inclination and the degree of the compensation curves
1.8(þ0.2) such as the curve of Spee and the curve of Wilson. The cuspal
inclination cannot be made flatter, because flattering it to
1.8(þ0.2)
disocclude posterior teeth will make the mandible unstable,
1.9(þ0.3) resulting in decreased masticatory efficiency.
molar in Japanese is shown to be about 2 mm, and thus
posterior disocclusion accompanied by mandibular move-
ment should go beyond this distance.
The inclination of the occlusal plane is the most impor-
tant determinant to influence posterior disocclusion. The
flatter the occlusal plane is, the greater is the amount of
posterior disocclusion during the protrusive movement
(Tab. 3). Therefore, we have to seek a condition to provide
posterior disocclusion in both the protrusive and retrusive
movements. Theoretically, as shown in Fig. 8, with an occlusal
plane of 20
–30
, molar disocclusion can be produced in both
protrusive and retrusive movements.
However, such a steep occlusal plane of 20
–30
will cause
problems in mandibular stability. As seen in many Class II
cases, a steeper occlusal plane flattens the apparent cuspal
inclination, which causes backward movement at the inter-
cuspal position, resulting in the mandibular retrogression and
an unstable intercuspal position. One way to solve this prob-
lem is to modify the curve of Spee without changing the
occlusal plane itself. In particular, our study demonstrates
that accentuation of the curve of Spee by modifying the tooth
axis of the molar provides the apparent amount of disocclu-
sion at the maxillary and mandibular first molar became
greater in the retrusive movement than in the protrusive
movement. Therefore, we can conclude that in occlusal re-
construction in a patient with the joint loosening, whose
mandible on the retrusive side tends to move backward, it is
crucial to modify the curve of Spee by adjusting the tooth axis
of the posterior teeth.
Appropriate inclination of the occlusal plane and accen-
tuation of the curve of Spee must be determined for individual
patients, as the eminence and the tooth size difference in each
patient. In this study, we demonstrate that in mandibular
movement viewed in the sagittal plane, at an average sagittal
condylar inclination (SCI) of 44
, an inclination of the anterior
guidance of 54
, an inclination of retrusive guidance of 30
,
and an inclination of occlusal plane of 10
, if the radius of the
curve of Spee is 60 mm, a molar disocclusion of 3 mm in the
protrusive movement and 1.5 mm in the retrusive movement
is provided. As shown in Fig. 9, this study also demonstrates
that when the radius of the curve of Spee is made smaller, the
angulation of disocclusion in the retrusive movement is in-
creased, facilitating disocclusion at the early period of the
movement. In the actual mandibular movement, the factors in
the horizontal direction are included, so to ensure appropriate
disocclusion we will need to examine the relationship between
the laterotrusive movement and the curve of Wilson.

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Conclusion
We have investigated the relationship between the inclination
of the occlusal plane, posterior and disocclusion during re-
trusive condylar movement involving the degree of the curve
of Spee. It was observed in this study that different angulations
of the occlusal plane and radius of the curve of Spee can affect
the amount of posterior disocclusion in all mandibular move-
ments. The study demonstrated that a steep occlusal plane can
provide posterior interferences since the amount of posterior
disocclusion is decreased, which is detrimental to the masti-
catory system. In addition, the compensating curve should
also be considered to obtain the proper disocclusion in the
working side during retrusive movement of the mandible.
Therefore, the occlusal plane inclination should be properly
and carefully analyzed and must be a part of the diagnosis and
treatment planning prior to any occlusal reconstruction.
Acknowledgements
We thank Dr. Cynthia Protacio-Quismundo, DMD, FAPO, for
her help is preparing the manuscript. This work was per-
formed in Research Institute of Occlusion Medicine and
Research Center of Brain and Oral Science, Kanagawa Dental
College and supported by grant-in-aid for Open Research
from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports,
Science and Technology.
References
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natural teeth of man.
[2] Goldstein GR. The Relationship of Canine-Protected Occlusion
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