DENTAL OCCLUSION

Dr. Shujah Adil Khan

Lecturer – MDS Resident
DIKIOHS - DUHS
Occlusion

■ The act or process of closure or of being closed.

■ The static relationship between the incising or

masticating surfaces of the maxillary and
mandibular teeth.
Articulation

■ The static and dynamic contact relationship between

the occlusal surfaces of the teeth during function.
`
Centric Relation (CR)

■ The most anterior – superior position of the condyle

in the glenoid fossa, with the thinnest avascular
portion of the disk in between at an established
vertical dimension.
■ OR The most posterior unstrained position of the
condyle in the glenoid fossa. This position is
independent of tooth contact.
Centric Occlusion (CO)

■ Occlusion of opposing teeth when the mandible is in

centric relation.
■ This may or may not coincide with the maximum
intercuspation.
Maximum Intercuspation (MI)

■ It is the maximum interdigitation of the maxillary

teeth with the mandibular teeth independent of
condylar position.
Slide in Centric

■ The difference between centric occlusion and

(maximum intercuspation) is called slide in centric.

■ It is usually of 0.5 – 2.0 mm in 80% of population.

Compensating Curves

■ Anterio - posterior Compensating Curve (Curve of

Spee)
■ Lateral Compensating Curve (Curve of Willson)
■ And curve of Monson
Occlusal Plane

■ It is an imaginary plane.

■ It touches the incisal edges of the mandibular

central incisors and the tips of the distobuccal cusps
of the mandibular second molars.
Orientation of Occlusal Plane

■ Anteriorly according to overjet and overbite.

■ Posteriorly at the junction of anterior 2/3rd with

posterior 1/3rd of retro molar pad
Curve of Spee

■ It is an imaginary anterior – posterior curve.

■ It passes from the lower incisors to the buccal cusps
tips of the mandibular posterior teeth.
■ In artificial occlusion it is called anterior – posterior
compensating curve.
Curve of Willson

■ It is an imaginary lateral curve.

■ Its convexity faces upwards in 1st premolars.
■ It become straight in 2nd premolars
■ And faces downwards in molars.
■ In complete denture occlusion it is called lateral
compensating curve.
Curve of Monson

■ Extending the curve of Spee and Willson to all cusps

and incisal edges reveals the curve of Monson.
Combination of curve of spee and willson, 3D curve.
Other Definitions
The horizontal distance between
the labial surface of the lower
central incisor and the palatal
■ Over – jet surface of the upper central incisor
in centric occlusion.

■ Over – bite
It is the vertical distance between
the incisal edges of the maxillary
central incisor and mandibular
central incisor in centric occlusion.
Supporting cusp or
Functional Cusp
■ The buccal cusps of the mandibular posterior teeth
and lingual cusps of maxillary teeth are called
supporting cusps.

■ These cusps occlude in central fossa and maintain

the occlusal vertical height. They also called centric
cusps and holding cusps.
Non Functional Cusps

■ The lingual cusps of mandibular posterior teeth and

buccal cusps of the maxillary posterior teeth called
guiding cusps.
■ They guide the mandible in lateral movements.
Working Side

■ That side towards which mandible is moving is called

working side, movement of mandible towards cheek.
Balancing side

■ That side from which mandible is moving is called

balancing side. Movement of mandible towards
tongue
Working side cusps relation

■ At working side the buccal and lingual cusps of

posterior teeth become edge to edge i.e. become in
one plane.
Balancing side cusps relation

■ At balancing side the palatal cusps of maxillary

posterior teeth become in one plane with the buccal
cusps of mandibular posterior teeth.
Incisal guidance

■ Incisal guidance depends upon the horizontal and

vertical overlap of incisors.
Incisal guidance angle

■ When the mandible moves in protrusive occlusion,

the lower incisors move downward and forward to an
edge to edge occlusion.
■ The path along which the lower incisors move, make
an angle to the horizontal called the incisal guidance
angle and this movement is called incisal guidance.
Condylar guidance angle

■ When mandible moves in a protrusive occlusion, the

condyles moves on the distal slopes of the articular
eminence.

■ The angle which this path makes to the horizontal is

condylar guidance angle. The path of the condyle is
called sagittal condylar path.
Bennett Shift

■ In lateral movement the working side condyle shifts

laterally (0.5-1mm) this is called Bennett shift or
Bennet movement.
Bennett Angle

■ To compensate the working side condyle movement,

the balancing side condyle moves forward,
downward and medially.
■ The angle between this position of condyle and
sagittal plane is called Bennett angle.
Cuspal angle

■ If a horizontal plane is passing through the base of

the cusp of a tooth, the angle of the cusp slope with
the horizontal plane. called cusp angle.
Effective Cusp Angle
 THEORIES OF
ARTICULATION
Theories of Articulation

■ Bilateral balanced
■ Unilateral balanced
■ Mutually protected
Bilateral Balanced Occlusion

■ The bilateral, simultaneous, anterior and posterior

occlusal contact of teeth in centric and all eccentric
positions.
■ Maximum number of teeth in contact in maximum
intercuspation and all excursive positions.
■ Helpful in complete denture patients.
■ Difficult to achieve.
■ Resulted in excessive wear, increase PDL breakdown
and neuromuscular disturbances.
Unilateral Balance Occlusion

■ Excursive contact occurs between all opposing

posterior teeth on the working side only.
■ On the nonworking side no contact occurs until the
mandible has reached centric relation.
■ Group function.
■ Load is distributed among the PDL support of all
posterior teeth on the working side.

■ No posterior tooth contact occurs in protrusion.

■ Advantage:
■ Useful when canine guided occlusion is not possible
due to poor periodontal support of canine or missing
canine.
Mutually Protected Articulation

■ Uniform contact of all teeth around the arch when

the mandibular condylar processes are in their most
superior position.
■ Centric relation coincident with maximum
intercuspation.
■ No contact of posterior teeth in lateral or protrusive
movements.
■ Posterior teeth prevent excessive contact of the
anterior teeth in maximum intercuspation.
■ Anterior teeth disengage the posterior teeth in all
mandibular excursive movements.
■ Canine guidance, canine protected articulation,
anterior protected articulation.
Type of artificial teeth and there
implication
■ Anatomic teeth
■ Semi anatomic teeth
■ Zero degree, cusp-less teeth

10° 20° 30°

THEORIES OF COMPLETE
DENTURE ARTICULATION
Theories of complete denture
articulation
■ Bilaterally balanced
■ Lingualized
■ Monoplane
Lingualized articulation

■ In this form of denture occlusion, the maxillary

lingual cusps articulate with flat mandibular occlusal
surfaces in centric working and nonworking
mandibular positions.
■ Combination of upper anatomical and lower
nonanatomical molds are used.
■ Lingualized occlusion yielded cross-arch balance.
This resulted in improved denture stability and
enhanced patient comfort.
■ Lateral forces were reduced because maxillary
lingual cusps provided the sole contact with
mandibular posterior teeth.
■ As a result, potentially damaging lateral forces were
minimized.
■ Vertical forces could be centered upon the
mandibular residual ridges.

■ The application of vertical forces was considered

advantageous for denture stability and maintenance
of the supporting hard and soft tissues.
■ Cusp form is more natural in appearance compared
to nonanatomic tooth form.

■ Good penetration of the food bolus is possible.

Monoplane Occlusion

■ An occlusal arrangement wherein the posterior teeth

have occlusal surfaces that lack any cusp.
■ Zero degree cusped teeth.
Difference b/w Balanced Occlusion and
Balanced Articulation
■ Balanced Occlusion
■ Teeth contact occur all around the dental arch in closed
static positions.

■ Balance Articulation
■ When contact of teeth maintained all around dental
arch in all closed sliding movements.
Objectives of complete denture
occlusion
■ Stability (three point contact)
■ Jaw movements without cuspal interference
■ Maximum cusp contact
■ Decreasing masticatory load to bone per unit area
Unbalanced Occlusion

■ Tilting of Dentures
■ Cusp interference
■ Reduced efficiency
■ Pain Trauma