Determining the occlusal plane: a literature review

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Dental Prosthetics
• Occlusion

Background:

• The occlusal plane's location is influenced by natural head position and anatomical landmarks.
• Accurate determination of the occlusal plane is crucial for successful dental restorations.
• Existing literature reports on various factors affecting occlusal plane determination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the utility of articulator systems and dental instrumentation in determining the occlusal plane.
• To review methods for minimizing errors in occlusal plane registration and determination.
• To explore techniques with and without the use of face-bows.

Main Methods:

• Searched PubMed and Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source databases for relevant literature.
• Included hand searches and citation mining to supplement database results.
• Focused on methods to minimize errors in occlusal plane determination and registration.

Main Results:

• Identified 11 original approaches for occlusal plane determination.
• Reviewed methods applicable with or without the use of face-bows.
• Found that proper instrumentation and management methods can eliminate errors.

Conclusions:

• Identified occlusal plane transfer methods include both real and virtual solutions.
• The wide variety of available devices necessitates further comparative studies.
• Articulator systems and specific instrumentation are valuable tools for occlusal plane determination.