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Updated: Aug 7, 2026
Measuring Maxillary Posterior Tooth Movement: A Model Assessment using Palatal and Dental Superimposition
Published on: February 23, 2024
Effect of a digital bite registration method considering physiological tooth displacement on virtual occlusion: A
Xiaole Zhao1, Ya Tu2, Qian Ding1
1Department of Prosthodontics, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology; National Center of Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology, Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Computerized Dentistry, Ministry of Health, NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials, Beijing, China.
Purpose:
This study aimed to evaluate the virtual intercuspal occlusion constructed by the segmented tooth registration method, considering physiological tooth displacement and the conventional buccal bite registration method.
Materials And Methods:
Twenty-nine participants received 29 full crowns on the first molars. Two weeks after delivering the crowns, the posterior regions (upper and lower jaws, U1 and L1) containing the buccal surface occluding in maximum intercuspal position (MIP) under habitual occlusal force were scanned using an intraoral scanner (IOS). Two bite registration methods were conducted: (1) segmenting U1 and L1 into a single tooth and registering to the buccal surface occluding in MIP, respectively (test group), and automatically registering U1 and L1 by the IOS (control group). For evaluation of two virtual intercuspal occlusions, the mean, minimum, and negative mean of interocclusal distance, and occlusal contact area were calculated and compared. The Wilcoxon test was applied to analyze the statistical differences (α = 0.050).
Results:
In the test group, the interocclusal distance for the second premolars, crowns on first molar, and second molars were as follows: the minimum interocclusal distance ranged from -51.2 to 1.1 µm, the mean from 39.9 to 57.8 µm, and the negative mean from -23.4 to -10.0 µm. These interocclusal distances were significantly larger than those in the control group, which ranged from -136.2 to -79.1 µm; 14.3 to 27.9 µm; and -48.1 to -30.7 µm for the same three indicators, respectively (p < 0.010). The occlusal contact areas for the crowns and adjacent teeth of the test group were significantly smaller than those of the control group, respectively (p < 0.010). Moreover, the mean and negative mean of interocclusal distance had no significant differences between the crowns and second premolars.
Conclusions:
By considering physiological tooth displacement, the segmented tooth bite registration method can significantly increase the mean interocclusal distance and reduce occlusal contact areas, thereby correcting the virtual occlusal collisions.
