Methods for evaluation of occlusal contacts

The international literature on the various methods of occlusal analysis is very inconsistent and does not allow a reliable assessment of reliability and validity. No method has been proven based on scientific evidence. Objective assessment criteria are lacking for the qualitative methods (articulating paper or film; analysis of wax or silicone bite registrations). Quantitative methods such as photo-occlusion and the Dental Prescale and T-Scan systems have yielded contradictory results, ranging from reports of good reproducibility to technical difficulties. Therefore, the validity of these methods is questionable at this time. Current trends in occlusal analysis include the use of virtual articulators, or the acquisition of a virtual 3D model of the tooth surfaces directly in the patient's mouth, and time-moment analysis of occlusal contacts. At the same time, the previous mechanical notions of transferable occlusal concepts are increasingly being questioned, and attempts are being made to assess the individual occlusal relationships in the context of the entire masticatory system in order to reach undisturbed function in the individual patient. Keywords: Occlusal contact, dental occlusion, instrumentation, methods, standards, T‑scan, virtual articulator