Controversies in occlusion

The tissues and structures of the stomatognathic system adapt in different ways but in a coordinated manner to functional forces. This adaptive capacity differs from individual to individual and tends to cloud the picture as to how these mechanisms function. This leads to many areas of disagreement as to the role of occlusal trauma in the etiology of periodontal disease; the importance of centric, bite collapse versus arch collapse; the role of incisal guidance in maintaining occlusal stability; canine protected-guided occlusion versus group function; the use of appliances in occlusal therapy; prophylactic versus interceptive occlusal adjustment; and the role of bruxism and other parafunctional habits in occlusal trauma. An attempt is made in this article to clarify these issues.