[Reproducibility of the centric relation mandibular position]

The centric relation (CR) is an important position either diagnostically or therapeutically. It is supposed to register the proper position of the mandible in a verifiable and reproducible way. This study addresses the reproducibility of the CR. Intra-oral graphic recordings were carried out in 15 dental students and the antero-posterior and medio-lateral positions of the point of the tracings were evaluated. The tracings were reproduced within an area 162 +/- 55 microns on sagittal axis and 141 +/- 32 microns on transversal axis. The other aim of the study was to investigate the effects of the graphic and the leaf gauge registrations on the condyle position of an articulator. It was concluded that there were no significant differences in reproducibility between the two methods on sagittal and transversal axes, but on the vertical axis the graphic registration method proved to be significantly more reproducible than the leaf gauge registration.