The role of posterior guidances under the altered anterior guidance

In five subjects, bilateral condylar movement was assessed during lateral excursions with different tooth guidance angles without changing the intercuspal position. Statistical analysis of anova (P < 0.01) revealed that when the incisal path angle became steeper than the natural tooth guidance, distances of the non-working side condyle paths (centre of condyle) decreased significantly, while distances of the working side condyle paths (centre of condyle) remained unchanged. Directions of the working side condyle paths were random, while directions of the non-working side condyle paths remained stable. By analysing six points around the centre of the condyle, it was not possible to confirm any affect on the working side condyle movement by changing the tooth guidance angle. It was revealed that the non-working side condyle had an 'active' role during lateral excursions, and that the working side condyle moved as a result of mandibular movement that was changed because of a steepening of the incisal path angle during lateral excursions. This suggests the possibility that the working side condyle movements were affected 'passively' by altering the tooth guidance.