The Relationship between Dental Occlusion and “Prosthetic Occlusion” of Prosthetic Restorations Supported by Natural Teeth and Osseointegrated Dental Implants

Abstract

The concept of human dental occlusion represents much more than the mere physical contact of the biting surfaces of opposing teeth. It is not a static, unchanging, structural relationship, but rather a dynamic, real, physiological relationship between different tissue systems. It is best defined as the functional relationship between the components of the masticatory system, which includes the teeth, the periodontium, the neuromuscular system, the temporomandibular joints and the craniofacial skeleton. Biologically, occlusion represents a coordinated functional interaction between different cell populations of the masticatory tissue systems that differentiate, model, remodel, destroy and regenerate. When the functional balance of the masticatory system is disturbed or when occlusion is restored by various types of prosthetic restorations, specific goals of occlusal treatment become important, especially today with the rapid insertion of dental implants. The aim of this chapter is to highlight the characteristics of dental occlusion in relation to the characteristics and requirements of ‘prosthetic occlusion’ for different types of prosthetic restorations supported by natural teeth, gingiva, alveolar ridges and dental implants. A particular focus in writing the chapter is the analysis of the scientific literature on the interrelationship between the so-called occlusion concepts and the biomechanical aspects of different types of implant prosthetic restorations.