Determining the occlusal plane in full mouth restoration: Self-made Occlusal Plane Analyzer and its application

Abstract

In occlusal reconstruction determining the occlusal plane is one of the most important steps. The cant of occlusal plane affects the posterior teeth in relation with condylar path and anterior guidance upon mandibular movement. The cant of the occlusal plane also affects the esthetic smile line. In determining the occlusal plane for edentulous jaws it is common to set the occlusal plane on the wax bite rim according to the anatomical landmark. In case of dentulous jaws, there is a method to determine the occlusal plane according to Broadrick occlusal plane analysis. In this paper proposed is a method to determine the occlusal plane of mandible using self-made "Occlusal Plane Analyzer" (OPA). With this method it becomes possible to set the occlusal plane accurately and simply against the referential plane on the articulator with face-bow registration, and the position of the occlusal plane can be recorded. This OPA can be used for the examination of almost all types of dental casts, because it has a five-axes adjustable plane.