Comparison of Different Centric Relation Recording Techniques Using a Digital Occlusal Analyzer: An In Vivo Study

This study evaluates the accuracy and reproducibility of three centric relation (CR) recording techniques-bimanual manipulation (BM), chin-point guidance (CPG), and anterior deprogrammer (ADP)-using the OccluSense® (OS) digital occlusal analyzer. Addressing a critical gap in prosthodontic literature, the research employs a prospective, single-center, within-subjects design with 27 participants. Each underwent five CR registrations (BM, BM2, CPG, CPG2, and ADP) over 2 days. Statistical analyses (descriptive statistics, Cohen's Kappa, and Fleiss' Kappa) revealed that BM and CPG demonstrated substantial initial agreement with the ADP reference. However, reproducibility declined in repeated measurements. The ADP method exhibited superior consistency, reinforcing its role as the gold standard. Side-based agreement analysis highlighted operator dependency for manual techniques. The study concludes that while ADP remains the most reliable CR recording method, BM and CPG are viable alternatives when performed by skilled clinicians. Digital tools like OS enhance objectivity but do not replace clinical expertise.