Studies on mandibular closing position in opening and closing movements without tooth contact

Abstract

Normal dentate subjects were studied to determine mandibular closing positions during opening and closing movements with and without contact of the teeth. There was more variation between consecutive jaw movements in the closest position without tooth contact (CP) than with tooth contact (tapping points, TP). CP varied significantly from anterior to posterior with an increase in velocity of mandibular movement. The wider the opening distance, the greater was the lateral deviation of CP. These variations were smaller in the upright position than in the supine position. Subjects with unstable intercuspal position and an abnormal trajectory of jaw movements had larger variations in CP and TP than did normal subjects.