A sound understanding of occlusal principles is key to good clinical practice, and the update to this best-selling book offers a straightforward clinical approach to occlusion. This second edition includes many new illustrations, highlighted practical tips, and updates to the text with the most recent advances in the literature. The narrated 3D animations on the accompanying DVD clarify the effects of jaw movement, and comprehensive clinical videos demonstrate the process of investigating and managing real-life occlusal problems. The authors of this practical guide bring occlusal concepts and techniques to life and demystify them for dentists and students alike.

208 pp; 177 illus;

ISBN: 978-1-85097-277-8; 9781850972778;

Contents
1. The Intercuspal Position and Dentistry

2. Normal Function and Avoiding Damage to Restored Teeth

3. Deflective Contacts, Interferences and Parafunction

4. Reorganizing the Occlusion

5. Occlusion, the Periodontium and Soft Tissues

6. Occlusion and Fixed Osseointegrated Implant Restorations

7. Occlusion and Temporomandibular Disorders

8. Occlusal Techniques

DVD Contents
• Understanding Jaw Movement Animations

• Clinical and Laboratory Sequences

Foreword
Just when you thought that the Quintessentials of Dental Practice Series had little more to offer, this latest, somewhat larger than normal volume entitled Applied Occlusion breaks new ground. The innovation is the inclusion of a fantastic DVD, which brings occlusal concepts and techniques to life, animating and otherwise complementing the excellent text. As a consequence, what other authors have taken many tens of thousands of words to convey, the authors of this book have successfully presented in the succinct format characteristic of the Quintessentials Series. Numerous high quality illustrations, many of which link text and DVD, highlight the immediate practical relevance of the refreshingly pragmatic, but robust approach the authors adopt in the management of occlusion in clinical practice.

Knowledge and understanding of occlusion underpins good clinical practice. Without such knowledge and understanding, procedures which change the way teeth function and relate are fraught with risks of iatrogenic damage, let alone being inconsistent with good patient care. If your knowledge and understanding of modern approaches to occlusion are in any way suspect, then this book and accompanying DVD will address this problem, offering superb value for money.

In common with all the other books in the now extensive—more than 40 volume Quintessentials of Dental Practice Series, this text is intended to have wide appeal, spanning the broad spectrum of undergraduate student through to experienced practitioner. I can therefore encourage clinicians at all levels to add this book to their library, both for detailed study and to be kept to hand for ready reference. An added attraction is that elements of the accompanying DVD may find application in educating patients as to the nature and possible solutions of occlusal problems.

The authors of this volume are to be congratulated on reaching new heights in the literature pertaining to occlusion. In unreservedly recommending this book, together with its accompanying DVD, I am confident that everyone who reads and views the material, so carefully crafted by the authors, will undoubtedly learn, and be able to put into practice good occlusal assessment and management.

Another outstanding addition to the highly acclaimed Quintessentials of Dental Practice Series.

Preface
This book acknowledges the importance of adopting a clinical approach to understanding occlusion, and that it can be a difficult subject to understand. We all know it is there and important, but, as it is difficult to visualise, it can sometimes be hard to appreciate this importance. Dentists whatever their background, will have different perspectives as to how occlusion affects their clinical practice. The authors, a general practitioner (AN) a restorative consultant (FSN) and two senior academics (JGS and RWW) have integrated their knowledge and experience to emphasise the common ground.

Rather than start with some dry definitions, we have considered a number of situations in which the occlusion causes damage to teeth or restorations; damage that is invariably caused by occlusal instability, parafunction or both. For all of the theoretical occlusal concepts that have been written about over the years, damage from occlusion is what actually matters. In many cases this is iatrogenic. A good dentist needs to know how to detect, treat and avoid such problems.

To describe how the occlusion is associated with day-to-day problems, we have explained and illustrated the possible underlying mechanisms, gradually introducing the reader to important occlusal concepts and definitions. Dr Naru’s 3D computer animations, together with the narrated clinical movie sequences bring these to life.

We often think of occlusal damage affecting restorations, teeth, supporting tissues and the masticatory system, but, as described in Chapter 1, occlusion can also damage a practice. Think of the situation which happens all too commonly when a crown takes hours, or what seems like hours, to fit. Attention to detail with impressions, jaw records, articulation and provisional restorations is needed to prevent such frustration. The development of good practice in all of these areas will benefit any dentist wanting to expand their clinical knowledge and expertise in occlusion.

Chapters 2 and 3 focus on the effects of function and parafunction respectively. Normal function can damage vulnerable restorations but poorly contoured restorations can interfere with function, which further increases the risk of damage. Parafunction involves large forces that can wreak havoc with both teeth and restorations. Chapter 4 gives advice on conforming with, or reorganising an occlusion.

Chapters 5, 6 and 7 explores special considerations of occlusion relating to the periodontium, the provision of implant restorations and temporomandibular disorders (TMD). It is widely recognised that the majority of TMDs do not have an occlusal aetiology. Nevertheless, there are times when occlusal factors are very relevant and dentists need to know how to identify and manage them.

The final chapter, Chapter 8, is the longest in the book. It contains details of various occlusal techniques, including occlusal examination, recording jaw relationships, articulator choice, diagnostic waxing, copying anterior guidance, occlusal splints and occlusal adjustment.

About the DVD How many occlusion students have been baffled by two-dimensional diagrams of mandibular positions and movements? With software used to create blockbusting films, Dr Naru has skilfully provided an animated three-dimensional perspective. In conjunction with Chapter 2, he illustrates the importance of anterior guidance both in terms of normal movement and what can happen when restorations interfere with guidance. With Chapter 3, he demonstrates the problems associated with deflective contacts and interferences.

We have also filmed a number of clinical sequences, beginning with Chapter 7, where we show a structured examination for diagnosing TMDs in Chapter 8, we use a clinical case of occlusal derangement to illustrate all the clinical and laboratory stages involved in occlusal analysis and occlusal adjustment. This section includes details of how to carry out an occlusal examination, tips on recording accurate impressions, centric jaw and facebow registrations. After considering semiadjustable and average value articulators, we move onto mounting casts, trial adjustment and clinical occlusal adjustment. Many of these procedures are common to the management of patients needing extensive restorations, or suffering from occlusally related problems.

The clinical case of occlusal derangement shown in the DVD is somewhat unusual in its aetiology, apparently resulting from tooth movements during pregnancy. It is also relatively challenging. Nevertheless, it usefully illustrates the sequence of events common to the management of many occlusal problems.

Reviews

“This book is an excellent read for both the undergraduate student starting out on occlusion and for those practitioners who are often mystified by the subject, which may well include a number of orthodontists.”

A.J. Ireland
European Journal of Orthodontics April 2009