Posterior guided occlusion is a fully functional dental occlusal design based in neurophysiological science. This concept differs from more commonly suggested occlusal design in suggesting that the function of stable dental occlusal contact is to stimulate coordinated muscle function and to allow (encourage) energetic (forceful) muscle effort upon tooth contact. Many of the current and more popular concepts of dental occlusion used in clinical practice today suggest reflexive quieting of the muscles of mastication upon tooth contact.
Current scientific investigation of this posteriorly guided occlusal model is being conducted at Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, England, within the engineering, biomechanics and motor control groups by Stephanie Forrester, Ph.D. and Matthew T.G. Pain, Ph. D.
Complex EMG studies have been completed on 46 subject volunteers recruited on an arbitrary basis. The data resulting from these studies demonstrate significantly greater coordinated muscle effort in test designs that load the posterior teeth. These same EMG studies suggest that the muscle spindle is more involved in coordinating muscle function in dynamic mandibular motion than is commonly believed and indicate a less dominate role for the periodontal ligament which provides only a negative feed back protective reflex, "jerk reflex". This "standard" of neuromuscular dynamics in dental occlusion and masticatory function is to be expected when neurological studies of the muscle reflex system are an integral part of the research model; a step not commonly taken in dental occlusal research.
The greatest coordinated effort is obtained when "centrum" Centrum Definition areas of support are provided on posterior teeth and when there is a mutual guide on the non-working slope (incline) of a posterior tooth (molar).
This functional model is in harmony with anthropological descriptions of the most commonly observed human occlusal functional designs. This web site is dedicated to the presentation and discussion of these evolving topics of occlusal function and the neurophysiology involved.
Contrary opinion is invited and welcome but should be attributed and documented to appear in the blog which will be host monitored.
Thank you for visiting this website. We hope that you find it stimulating and that you will join in the discussion.
Sincerely,
Sam Allen, Ph. D. , Jon Bill, R.D.T.; Larry Brown, R.D.T.; Stephanie Forrester, Ph. D.; Matt Pain, Ph. D.; Ron Presswood D.D.S.; Ron Presswood, Jr. P. E.; Andy Toy, M. Med. Sci., B.D.S.