The role of occlusal auscultation in assessing dental occlusions

Little attention is paid to the noises made when the teeth occlude, yet there is a wealth of information stored in these sounds. It is remarkable how quickly the ear can learn to discern the difference between a good occlusion and one which is disrupted, by using a stethoscope. With the addition of relatively inexpensive instrumentation, occlusal sounds may also be recorded for later reference, analysis, comparison or audit.