Assessment of the clinical procedures used for determination of vertical dimension of occlusion and centric relation in edentulous patients

Abstract

Background and aim. This study aims to explore the most widely used methods for managing patients who are completely edentulous to determine the intermaxillary relations, also known as the centric relation and vertical dimension of occlusion. Material and methods. The information sources have been identified through searches of medical databases. A 20-year search frame, from 2001 to 2021 was performed. The terms “occlusal vertical dimension”, “totally edentulous”, “complete denture”, and “centric relation” were searched. The selected articles were acquired in full text, and two different authors resolved differences through conversation before evaluating them for inclusion. Results. Following the application of the search strategy, 514 articles were identified. 172 papers were screened after duplicate records were removed. Selecting the studies to be considered for inclusion in the first stage required considering their titles, abstracts, and studies’ significance to the study purpose. After obtaining the complete texts of the remaining twenty-seven papers, their relevance was evaluated. Conclusion. The relationship between the maxillary and mandibular arches is still established by the centric relation in occlusal examination and prosthetic treatment. Many methods with low variability and high intra-technical repeatability are available for recording centric relation. There is no one standard technique for recording the vertical dimension of occlusion; instead, the clinician must choose the most comfortable approach.