Changing paradigms are transforming our understanding of functional mechanisms and clinical and technical procedures in clinical practice. Within this context is the emerging importance of maintaining or rehabilitating the occlusion to optimize mastication for multiple benefits. These benefits include improved diet, nutrition, and health; improved esthetics for speech, social interaction, and self-confidence; and, more recently, the recognition of maintaining or enhancing cognition. Keywords: oral rehabilitation, occlusion, esthetics, mastication, cognition