OCCLUSION
Cite this article:
Popa ST, Popescu SM,
Constantinescu MV.
Occlusal equilibration
between option and clinical
realty.
Stoma Edu J. 2015;2(1):57-63
OCCLUSAL EQUILIBRATION BETWEEN
OPTION AND CLINICAL REALTY
Sever Toma Popa1a,
Sanda Mihaela Popescu2b*,
Marian-Vladimir Constantinescu3c
1. Department of Prosthetic Dentistry,
Faculty of Dentistry, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University
of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
2. Oral Rehabilitation Department, Faculty of Dental
Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy
of Craiova, Craiova, Romania
3. Department of Prosthetic Dentistry,
Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Carol Davila” University
of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest,
Bucharest, Romania
a. DDS, PhD, Consultant Professor
b. MDM, PhD, Associate Professor
c. DDS, PhD, Professor
Abstract
Occlusal dysfunctions generated by occlusal interferences as part of occlusal
pathology actually have growing frequency in oral pathology. Unfortunately
because of their insidious appearance, they are unnoticed until injurious effects
are observed or the patients experience dental, muscle or temporomandibular
joint pains.
If occlusal interferences were observed at the beginning of their appearance,
occlusal adjustments would rarely be necessary. To practice occlusal equilibration
techniques the dentist needs to observe a number of accurate steps by step
technical stages. These principles and stages are revealed in the following text.
Keywords: occlusal adjustment, occlusal equilibration, dental interferences, centric
relation, deflective contacts.
Introduction
Received: 12 December 2013
Accepted: 16 November 2014
* Corresponding author:
Sanda Mihaela Popescu, MDM, PhD
Associate Professor, Faculty of Dental Medicine
University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova
2-4 Petru Rares Str.
RO-200349 Craiova, Dolj, Romania.
Tel/Fax: +40251524442.
e-mail: sm_popescu@hotmail.com
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The mandibular neuromuscular complex
has a strong adaptive capacity which
allows functioning and protection of the
masticatory system (Dawson, 1989, 2006).
Deflective occlusal contacts will induce an
irritable condition into the neuromuscular
system which will be continuously reinforced
with each closure through proprioceptive
feedback. This conditioned state (engrame)
may induce changes at the level of any
components of the masticatory system:
teeth, muscles, periodontium, gingival
mucosa and temporomandibular joints.
Occlusal dysfunctions can be cured by using
deprogramming methods (Popa S, 2004).
One of the frequently used deprogramming
techniques is occlusal equilibration (Wenneberg
et al, 1988; Constantinescu, Ene, 1995)
or selective grinding (Winstanley, 1986;
Saito, 1990; Acosta, Roura, 2009). Occlusal
equilibration is a therapeutical abrasive
technique that can remove or correct
occlusal interferences using the selective
grinding of the cuspal slopes or ridges of
the teeth interfered with normal functional
occlusal paths. This method of correcting
occlusion can be applied at the occlusal
surface of natural teeth or prosthetic
reconstructions using occlusal therapeutic
grinding techniques. The best means
to practice this method is to consider
centric relation (CR) as the best concept
for the settlement, registration, transfer
and reproducibility reference position
of the mandible. This reasoning relies on
the stability of the physiologic hinge axis
position during relaxed and asymptoma F