A cinematic study of centric and eccentric occlusions

Abstract

One hundred dentulous subjects were recorded cinematically in order to investigate the relationship between the occlusal pattern, centric relation, centric occlusion, and temporomandibular joint dysfunction. The majority of the subjects (81 per cent) exhibited lateral working side cuspal contact; only 19 per cent had a canine-protected occlusion. A 2 mm. discrepancy between centric relation and centric occlusion was found in only one subject of the working side contact group, whereas more than half of the canine-protected group had this degree of “hit and slide.” This evidence suggests the possibility of an association between a canine-protected occlusion and large discrepancies between centric relation and centric occlusion. Three subjects of the 4 with temporomandibular joint dysfunctions were found in the canine-protected occlusion group. However, 2 mm. discrepancies between centric relation and centric occlusion in each subject with temporomandibular joint disturbances leads to the association of centric occlusal disharmony with joint pathology. However, it would be premature to relate the canine-protected occlusion directly to temporomandibular joint dysfunction.