The occlusal curvature should be harmonized with stomatognathic function, but excessive occlusal curvatures are found in some craniomandibular disorder patients. Forty healthy subjects and 95 patients with craniomandibular d isorder (50 with clicking, 25 with locking, and 20 with myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome) were evaluated to investigate the functional significance of the occlusal curvature. Anteroposterior and lateral occlusa l curvature were measured using the least-square approximation of the mandibular buccal cusps in a second-order quadratic and modification of Monson's 4-inch sphere. Clicking and locking groups had significantly greater occlusal curvatures than healthy subjects. There appeared to be a relationship between occlusal curvature and craniomandibular disorders.