Occlusal considerations in periodontal prosthetics

The objectives in establishing a physiologic occlusion for periodontal-prosthetic patients are: (1) the minimization of lateral forces on the teeth and (2) the direction of forces along the long axis of the roots. Functional precision of occlusion is not an objective for this type of patient; rather, stability, with freedom of movement, is the goal. This paper gives an in-depth discussion of these objectives and provides an additional look at dental implant therapy and occlusion.