How to adjust posterior occlusal faces? Part two. - ROS - 2013 - Tome 42 - N°4

The usual occlusal concepts are essentially based on laterality and protrusion movements performed by the patient, from an occlusion in CR. During these movements, only cuspid and/or anterior guidances are generally noticed and recorded, while during chewing, the movements are made in an opposite orientation and contacts as well as posterior guidances can easily be objectified.
These differences in the kinetics and the interdental contacts have a real impact on natural teeth and implantology. When sticking only to the standard rules of adjustment, it is frequent to forget interferences or functional over or under-guidances on occlusal faces of the posterior teeth - which often results in incomplete occlusal adjustments.
Clinical protocols based on the actual function are provided here. They must allow:
- To take into account the role of the tongue and the patient's posture during the checking and the recording of the occlusion, during swallowing.
- To improve the techniques of occlusal adjustment on natural teeth and on implants in order to improve the chewing and make prostheses free of any malocclusions.
- To improve the results in the treatment of dysfunctions due to occlusal issues.
Taking into account the actual function allows to develop understandable and coherent techniques of occlusal adjustment aiming at restoring the functional equilibrium of the manducatory apparatus.