Occlusion: What Else?

Continuing Education Credits:
1 CEU (Continuing Education Unit)

Course Presenter(s):
Ilia Roussou, DDS, PhD


Date Added:
01/04/2021

Course Description:

Occlusion-Confusion, most of the dentist feel this way. Occlusion is one of the most important part of dentistry but also the most controversy. The balance and the restore of function of the stomatognathic system is often an everyday challenge during most dental treatments. For these two distinct reasons the dentist needs to study and fully understand the normal function of the TMJoints, understand how the mandible rests against the cranium in a most favourable position, and of course how occlusion and any dental prosthetic restorations should be adjusted without jeopardising the stability of the stomatognathic system. Severe wear, missing teeth, periodontal disease, over the years change the maximum intercuspation the patient had when their teeth were intact. For example it is very common for patients with severe wear of their dentition to present with contacts of their anterior teeth, in a pseudo III class relationship. Finding the treatment position during full mouth prosthetic reconstruction or orthodontic treatment is a challenge. Dentist often choose to maintain the occlusal relationship the patient presents with. This clinical decision can lead to occlusal discrepancies upon delivery of final restorations, temporomandibular pain symptoms and discomfort of the patient. Therefore it is essential to register and maintain the orthopedic stability of the stomatognathic system during the treatment and determine the musculoskeletal stable position during the dental procedures. In this lecture some common clinical problems that the dentist often has to deal with in the everyday practice will be presented and the treatment sequence to maintain the stomatognathic system stability will be presented.

Learning Objectives: