Force directed should be along the long axis of the tooth.

Most normal chewing stays

within the red area, but
the lower teeth have the
range of the black line.
Lower teeth are guided by
a gentle slanted slope of
the upper lingual surfaces.

In an upright posture, posterior tooth

contact more heavily than do anterior
teeth.

5.

Concepts of occlusion in natural dentition

The collective arrangement of the teeth in function is quite important.
There are three recognized concepts that describe the manner in
which teeth should and should not contact in the various functional
and excursive position of the mandible they are bilateral balanced
occlusion, unilateral balanced occlusion and mutually protected
occlusion.
These three concepts based on some early concepts (bonwill, spee,
monsoon,hall), gnathology (mccollum, page, lauritzen, beyron,
stuart & stallard, guichet, dawson, schuyler, gerber, pms concept)
1) Bilateral balanced occlusion : Based on work of von spee and monson
Prosthodontic concept which dictates that a maximum number of teeth
should contact in all excursive positions of the mandible. When concept was
applied to natural teeth in complete occlusal rehabilitation, multiple tooth
contacts that occurred as the mandible moved through its various
excursions, there was excessive frictional wear on the teeth.
Not used now a days for natural teeth.
Useful in complete denture construction.

2) Unilateral balanced
occlusion

Commonly known as Group function occlusion

Widely accepted and useful method of tooth arrangement in restorative
dental procedures today
Concept had origin in the work of Schuyler, who began to observe the
destructive nature of tooth contact on non working side and concluded it
would best to eliminate all tooth contact on the non working side.
Group function occlusion calls for all teeth on working side to be in
contact during a lateral excursion.

The absence of contact on non working side prevent those

teeth from being subjected to the destructive, obliquely
directed forces found in nonworking interferences.
It also saves the centric holding cusps from excessive wear.
The obvious advantage is the maintenance of the occlusion.
The functionally generated path technique, originally
described by mayer is used for producing restoration in
unilateral balanced occlusion.
It has been adapted by Mann and Pankey for use in
comlete-mouth occlusal reconstruction.

3)Mutually protected occlusion

It had its origin in the work of DAmico, Stuart , Lucia

and the members of the gnathological Society
they observed that in many mouths with a healthy
periodontium and minimum wear, the teeth were
arranged so that the overlap of the anterior teeth
prevented the posterior teeth from making any contact
on either the working or the non working sides during
mandibular excursions.
This separation from occlusion was termed disocclusion.
According to this concept of occlusion, the anterior
teeth bear all the load and the posterior teeth are
disoccluded in any excursive position of the mandible.
The desired result is an absence of frictional wear
and anterior teeth protecting the posterior teeth
in all mandibular excursion and posterior teeth
protecting the anterior teeth at the intercuspal position.

If same disocclusion occur in all excursive movement and

contact occur only on canine then mutually protected
occlusion known as canine protected/guided occlusion.
This arrangement of the occlusion is probably the most widely
accepted because of its ease of fabrication and greater tolerance by
patients.

Conditions of using mutually/canine protected occlusion: All anterior teeth/canine should be healthy with normal
class-1 relationship.
In presence of ant. Bone loss or missing canines the
mouth should be restored to group function.
In either angle class-2 or class-3 occlusion mandible cannot be guided by the anterior teeth.
A mutually protected occlusion also can-not be used in a
situation of reverse occlusion, or cross bite in which
maxillary and mandibular buccal cusps interfere with each
other in a working side excursion.

RAMFJORD AND ASH CONCEPTS OF

OCCLUSION

Equilibrium between
masticatory system.

the

different

components

of

According to RAMFJORD & ASH an occlusion

should be evaluated more by the way it
influenced the function of the stomatognathic
system than by the way the teeth intercuspid

The occlusal concept applied should promote occlusal

stability, does not exceed the needs and finances of
most persons, is controlled by general clinician and
does not need a specialized laboratory technician.

FREEDOM IN CENTRIC
Posselt was first
Criteria are to attempt to eliminate the need for
neuromuscular adaptation.
According to this concept,
Maximum intercuspation and centric relation are
coincident but flat areas on the depth of the fossae, on
which opposing cusps occlude, will allow for a certain
degree of freedom in both centric and eccentric
movements without the guiding influences of occlusal
inclines.
Vertical dimension of occlusion in maximum
intercuspation and centric relation might be the same
when all the interferences for closing in centric relation
are eliminated.

controlling factors/Anatomic
determinants of occlusion

The occlusal anatomy of the teeth must function in harmony with

the structures controlling the movement patterns of the mandible.
To maintain harmony of the occlusal condition, the posterior teeth
must pass close to but must not contact their opposing teeth
during mandibular movement

Posterior controlling factors

Two TMJs posterior controlling factors
Fixed factors
The angle at which the condyle moves away
from horizontal reference plane is referred to as
the condylar guidance angle.

Anterior controlling factors

Vertical overlap and horizontal overlap
Variable factor (altered by dental procedures)

Understanding the controlling factors

If the criteria for optimum functional occlusion has to be fulfilled, the
morphologic characteristics of each posterior tooth must be in harmony with
those of its opposing tooth or teeth during all eccentric mandibular movements.
The relationship of a posterior tooth to the controlling factors influences the
precise movement of that tooth.

The dentist has no control over posterior

determinants while dentist have direct control over
the tooth determinant by orthodontic movement of
teeth; restoration of the anterior lingual or
posterior occlusal surfaces; and equilibration, or
selective grinding, of any teeth that are not in a
harmonious relationship.
Intercuspal position and anterior guidance can be
Therefore, the significance of the anterior and condylar guidances lies in
altered,
for better
or for
worse, by any of these
how they influence
posterior tooth
shape.
means.

The closer a tooth is located to a determinant, the more

that it will be influenced by that determinant . A tooth
placed near the anterior region will be influenced greatly
by anterior guidance and less by the TM joint. A tooth in
the posterior region will be influenced partially by the
joints and partially by the anterior guidance.

Occlusal surface of the posterior teeth can be affected in 2 manners

1. Height
2. Width
. Factors that influence the heights of cusps and depths of fossae are
the vertical determinants of the occlusal morphology
. Factors that influence the direction of ridges and grooves on the
occlusal surfaces are considered the horizontal determinants of the
occlusal morphology.

Vertical determinants of occlusal morphology

(on cusp height)
a) Effect of condylar guidance
b) Effect of anterior guidance
c) Effect of plane of occlusion
d) Effect of curve of Spee
e) Effect of mandibular lateral translation movement

a) Effect of condylar guidance

The inclination of the condylar path during
protrusive movement can vary from steep to shallow
in different Patients. If the protrusive inclination is
steep, the cusp height maybe longer.

b) Effect of anterior guidance

It is a function of the relationship between the maxillary & mandibular
anterior teeth.
The track of the incisal edges from maximum intercuspation to edgeto-edge occlusion is termed the protrusive incisal path. The angle
formed by the protrusive incisal path and the horizontal reference plane
is the protrusive incisal path inclination.

In a healthy occlusion, the anterior guidance is

approximately 5 to 10 degrees steeper than the
condylar path in the sagittal plane. Therefore, when
the mandible moves protrusively, the anterior teeth
guide the mandible downward to create disocclusion,
or separation, between the maxillary and mandibular
posterior teeth. The same phenomenon should occur
during lateral mandibular excursions.
The lingual surface of a maxillary anterior tooth has
both a concave aspect and a convexity, or cingulum.
The mandibular incisal edges should contact the
maxillary lingual surfaces at the transition from the

Anterior guidance, which is linked to the combination of vertical and

horizontal overlap of the anterior teeth, can affect occlusal surface
morphology of the posterior teeth.
The greater the vertical overlap of the anterior teeth, the longer the
posterior cusp height may be. The greater the horizontal overlap of the
anterior teeth, the shorter the cusp height
must be.

c) Effect of plane of occlusion

It is an imaginary line extending from cusp tip of mandibular canine to
distobuccal cusp of lower second molar
Relationship of this plane to the angle of articular eminence influences
the steepness of the cusps.

As the plane of occlusion becomes more nearly parallel

to the angle of the articular eminence, the posterior
cusps must be made shorter..

d) Effect of curve of Spee

3 components affecting the cusp height are:
a)

Length of the radius of the curve

b)

Degree of curvature of the curve of Spee

c)

Orientation of curve of Spee

Length of the radius of the curve

Degree of curvature of the curve of Spee

Orientation of curve of Spee

e) Effect of mandibular lateral translation movement

Bennett movement- A bodily side shift of the mandible that
occurs during lateral movements.
The degree of medial movement of orbiting condyle depends on two factors :
a.
b.

Morphology of medial wall of the fossa.

Inner horizontal portion of the Temporomandibular ligament (which attaches to the
lateral pole of the rotating condyle)

Lateral translation movement has 3 attributes

1. Amount
2. Direction
3. Timing
. Amount and Timing are dependent on medial wall of fossa and TM
ligament.
. Direction depends on the direction taken by the rotating condyle.

Effect of amount of lateral translation movement on cusp height

Greater the amount of lateral translation

movement, shorter is the posterior cusp
Effect of the direction of lateral translation movement on cusp height
The movement occurs within a 60 degree cone whose apex is
located at the axis of rotation.

More superior the direction of movement

shorter should be the cusp height.

Effect of timing of lateral translation movement on cusp height

Dependent on the medial wall of fossa and TM ligament.
Immediate side shift when the lateral translation movement occurs
early
Progressive side shift if movement occurs in conjunction with an
eccentric movement

More is the Immediate side shift

shorter should be the cusp height.

Horizontal determinants of
occlusal morphology
Influences the direction of ridges and grooves on the occlusal surfaces.
Each centric cusp tip generates both laterotrusive and mediotrusive
pathways across its opposing tooth. (working and balancing grooves)
Each pathway represents a portion of the arc formed by the cusp
rotating around the rotating condyle.

Horizontal determinants of occlusal morphology (on ridge and groove

direction)
a) Effect of distance from rotating condyle
b) Effect of distance from mid-Sagittal plane
c) Effect of distance from rotating condyle and from mid-Sagittal plane
d) Effect of mandibular lateral translation movement
e) Effect of inter-condylar distance

a) Effect of distance from rotating condyle

Greater the distance wider the angle b/w working and
balancing grooves

b) Effect of distance from mid-Sagittal plane

More the distance wider the angle b/w working and
balancing grooves

c) Effect of distance from rotating condyle and from

mid-Sagittal plane
The combination of the two positional relationships
is what determines the exact pathways of the
centric cusp tips
Because of the curvature of the dental arch; as the
distance of tooth from rotating condyle increases
distance from midsagittal plane decreases, but
distance from rotating condyles increases FASTER
than decrease in distance from midsagittal plane.
Therefore, the teeth toward the anterior region
(e.g. premolars) have larger angles than posterior
teeth (e.g. molars).

d) Effect of mandibular lateral translation

movement
influences the directions of ridges and grooves
Movement depends on 2 factors:
1. Amount
2. Direction
Effect of amount of lateral translation movement on ridge and groove
direction

Effect of direction of lateral

translation movement on ridge and
groove direction

e) Effect of inter-condylar distance

As inter condylar distance increases distance between the condyle and
the tooth increases wider angles

Factor

Condition

Effect

Condylar guidance

Steeper

Taller

Anterior guidance

More overbite
More Overjet

Taller
Shorter

Plane of occlusion

More parallel

Shorter

Curve of Spee

More acute

Shorter

Lateral translation

Greater movement
More superior
Greater immediate shift

Shorter
Shorter
Shorter

Distance from rotating

condyle

Greater

Wider the angle

Distance from midsagittal

plane

Greater

Wider the angle

Lateral translation

Greater

Wider the angle

Intercondylar distance

Greater

Smaller the angle

DIFFERENT SCHEMES OF
OCCLUSION
NEUTROCENTRIC OCCLUSION
It was developed by DeVan and he stated that the teeth must be placed where
they grew as long as the mechanical laws are not violated.
DeVan has suggested to two key objectives of his occlusal scheme neutralization of inclines
centralization of forces.
The five elements of this scheme were :1) Position

DeVan positioned the posterior teeth over the

posterior residual ridge as far as lingually as the tongue
would allow, so that the forces would be perpendicular
to the support areas. He felt this was the most
important factor and that Off ridge contact for the

2)Proportion

DeVan reduced tooth width 40% to correct tooth proportion such a

narrowing supposedly reduced vertical stress on the ridge by
narrowing the occlusal table.

In addition, horizontal stress was reduced because friction between

opposing surfaces was decreased.

Forces were centralized without encroachment on the tongue space.

3)Pitch

This is the inclination or tilt of the occlusal plane.

It is oriented parallel to the underlying ridge and
midway between them.
This directed the forces perpendicular to the mean
osseous foundation plane.
Patients are trained not to protrude and incise.

4)Form

Tooth form was corrected by using flat teeth with no deflecting inclines.

This arrangement reduced destructive lateral forces and helped to keep

masticatory forces perpendicular to the support.
All contacts were in a single plane with no projections above or below the
plane to interfere with the mandibular movements.

5)Number
The posterior tooth were reduced in number form
eight to six.
This decreased the magnitude of the occlusal force
and centralized it to the second premolar and first
molar area.
Attributes of Neutrocentric concept-

a). Non-anatomic teeth

b). Plane of occlusion parallel to the residual ridge.
c).No compensating curves, teeth are set flat
d). Maxillary & mandibular teeth arranged without any vertical overlap.
e).Narrow teeth selected to decrease occlusal forces.

Advantages of Neutrocentric occlusion

1.This technique is simple and requires less precise records.
2.Suitable for a patient who have resorbed friable ridges with mobile tissue in whom it
may be difficult or impossible to make precise records which could be duplicated.
3. By removing inclines the lateral forces which are destructive to the residual ridges

4. are
Teeth
set with a neutrocentric occlusal scheme are easier to adjust.
reduced
5. Because the neutrocentric technique provides an area of closure and
does not lock the mandible into a single position the geriatric patient with
limited oral dexterity is an ideal candidate. Also the centric occlusion
centric relation discrepancy introduced by the denture settling would tend
6. Neutrocentric occlusion is especially good in class II (retrognathic) class III

to be less destructive because of the unlocked nature of the occlusion.

(prognathic) and cross bite cases. In geriatric patient with resorbed ridges the
chances for arch relationship discrepancies are increased, therefore greater
horizontal overlap and lack of specific interdigitation make neutrocentric

Disadvantages of neutrocentric occlusion

1. The greatest criticism of this occlusal scheme is that it is the least esthetic of the five basic occlusal
schemes. In that there is no incisal overlap and no posterior cusps certainly make the statement true.

2.

A strong criticism of the neutrocentric occlusion is that moving the teeth lingually and altering their
vertical position may not be compatible with the tongue, lip and cheek function

.
3.

The flat nature of teeth used in neutrocentric occlusion impair mastication

because of poor bolus penetration. As a result vertical forces on the ridge are
increased, patients comment that the teeth feel dull.

4.

While vertical forces are more acceptable to the residual ridges that horizontal
forces, there is a limit beyond which base movement and discomfort occurs.

5.

Patients with class III tend to hold there jaws forward and to function forward of the centric
relation. They continue to do so regardless of the dentist efforts at patient education. The result is
disclusion of the posterior teeth due to Christensens phenomenon and continued soreness in the
anterior area of the mouth because forces are not being placed perpendicular to their support area,

.
6.

these patients then require some form of anterior-posterior compensating curve to increase their
comfort

This flat type of occlusion cannot be balanced and the lack of cusp height
encourages a lateral component to the chewing cycle which can lead to bruxism,

SEMI ANATOMIC
Semi anatomic occlusion (teeth with a cuspal inclination of less than
OCCLUSION

300 in full balance) represents an effort by the anatomic school to

overcome some of the problems and criticisms of anatomic occlusion.

Its is a compromise by those who desire cusps for esthetics chewing

efficiency and balance and yet still desire to decrease the lateral force

component introduced by the cusp inclines.

In 1952, Schuyler pointed out that functional harmony can

be achieved with shallow cusp teeth by reducing the incisal
guidance. The advantage and disadvantage of semianatomic
occlusion are basically the same as for anatomic occlusion.

Esthetics is not compromised , to a degree by decreasing the

incisal guidance, but the advantage of reduced lateral forces
seems to make this a worthwhile compromise.

NON ANATOMIC / MONOPLANE

OCCLUSION
Jones advocated monoplane articulation in 1972. In this
concept, a non-anatomic occlusal scheme is used with a
few
specific
modifications.

Non anatomic(
zero degree. Non cusp) teeth with a
compensating curve to provide some degree of protrusive
and lateral balance is widely accepted occlusal scheme.
In this scheme tooth inclines are eliminated and balance is
produced by combination of anterior-posterior and lateral curves
or by the use of a balancing ramp leading to three point balance.

The maxillary and mandibular teeth are arranged

without any vertical overlap. The amount of horizontal
overlap is determined by the jaw relationships.
The posterior teeth are positioned on a flat plane. The
anterior teeth are positioned with a horizontal and vertical
overlap, and the emphasis in tooth arrangement is to
establish maximal tooth contact in the centric jaw relation

Advantages of Non Anatomic Occlusion

Its is more esthetic than neutrocentric occlusion
because some degree of vertical overlap is allowed by
the presence of posterior compensating curves.
This

occlusal

scheme

is

simple

and

less

time

consuming then others.

This occlusal scheme good for patients with cross bite

or class III relationship and especially for patients with
sever class II relationship who have an extremely long
functional path and who tend to hold their jaws forward
and to function in that position.
The presence of the compensating curve allows these
patients to hold their jaws anywhere and still maintain
posterior contacts over the areas where occlusal forces

LINGUALISED OCCLUSION

First proposed by Alfred Gysi in 1927.

1941 Payne desired a modification of anatomic teeth.
Involves the use of a large upper palatal cusp against a wide lower central
fossa.
Buccal cusps of upper & lower teeth do not contact each other.

It is an attempt to maintain the esthetic and

food penetration advantages of the anatomic
form while maintaining the mechanical freedom
of the non-anatomic form.

PRINCIPLES:
Anatomic posterior teeth are used for maxillary
denture.
Non-anatomic or semi anatomic teeth are used for
mandibular denture.
Modification of mandibular posterior teeth is
accomplished by selective grinding and creating a
slight concavity in the occlusal surface.
Maxillary lingual cusps should contact mandibular
teeth in centric occlusion.
Balancing and working side contacts should occur
only on the maxillary lingual cusps.
Protrusive balancing contacts should occur only
between maxillary lingual cusps and lower teeth.

 ADVANTAGES
1. The lingual cusp of the maxillary tooth in a lingulaised
occlusion penetrates the bolus of food like a cleaver on a
butchers block and then operates on the bolus in a
holding and grinding fashion similar to the mortar and
pestle mechanism.
2. There is a reduction of damaging lateral forces.
3. It allows easier accommodation to unpredictable basal
seat changes since it provides for an area of closure.
4. Vertical forces are centralized on the mandibular teeth.
5. The maxillary buccal cusps play no functional role in
occlusion and only improve the esthetic appearance and
prevent cheek biting.
6. It is a simple and flexible concept and can be applied in
virtually any type of removable prosthodontics as it
incorporates most of the advantages while eliminating or
neutralizing many of the disadvantages of other occlusal
schemes.

LINEAR OCCLUSION
It is defined as The occlusal arrangement of
artificial teeth, as viewed in the horizontal
plane, where in the masticatory surfaces of the
mandibular posterior artificial teeth have a
straight, long, narrow occlusal form resembling
that of a line, usually articulating with the
opposing monoplane teeth.
Literature has supported the use of linear (also
known as lineal) occlusion to enhance the
stability of the complete denture prosthesis.
Noninterceptive occlusion (linear occlusion)
requires that there should be no interference or
interception with the mandibular movement in
protrusive or lateral excursions.

FUNCTIONALLY GENERATED OCCLUSION

In this occlusion scheme, the maxillary teeth carve
out a path in the wax placed on the lower
occlusal table. This is known as functionally
generated path. Later the wax containing this
path is replaced with cast gold or Cobalt alloy.
Used in amalgam inserts, cast gold occlusal.

CONCLUSION
The essential starting point for understanding of occlusion is a through
knowledge of the anatomy, physiology & biomechanics of the TMJ, TEETH & their
relationship to the stomatognathic system.
The controversy about occlusion cannot be resolved for three reasons:
(1) much knowledge is based upon empirical rather than scientific information.
(2) the tolerance of the oral organ or the upper and lower physiologic limits are so
broad that because a certain concept failed in one specific mouth, it does not
mean that it would fail in all mouths.
(3) the tremendous variable factor of the individual dentist and the standards by
which he evaluates his completed restorations.
The knowledge, judgment, understanding, and skill of each dentist is
more important in treating patients than the technique or concept of
occlusion to which he subscribes.

since there is no one answer to occlusal

problems, the dentist should use the
philosophy that works best in his own hands
and at the same time does the most good, or
better yet, the least harm to the patient.

REFERENCES

1.Dental Anatomy Physiology & Occlusion (7th Edition) WHEELERS

2.Evalution,Diagnosis & Treatment of Occlusal
Problems (2nd Edition )PETER E. DAWSON
3. Occlusion (3rd Edition) RAMFJORD.S & ASH
4. Bhalaji (3rd Edition)
5. Okeson JP. (4th Edition) Management of

Temporomandibular Disorders and Occlusion,

6. Shillingburg HT. (3rd Edition)Fundamentals of Fixed
Prosthodontics
7. Syllabus of complete dentures Heartwell 4 th Edition
8. Essentials of complete denture prosthodontics Winkler
2nd Edition

u
o
y
k
than
RAVI GOYAL

49