Transferring therapeutic bite positions to final restorations in patients with severe tooth loss

Severe tooth loss is often associated with the loss of the vertical dimension of occlusion. An ongoing challenge of restorative treatment is transferring a patient’s new therapeutic bite position to fixed definitive restorations without compromising the established bite position or vertical dimension.

In a study published in the Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry, researchers explored using structured treatment planning and pretherapy to help minimize potential sources of error when creating final restorations. They said it is crucial to implement a preliminary test phase using occlusal splints or long-term provisional restorations prior to the placement of definitive dentures. These can help facilitate the accurate clinical transfer of the validated bite position to the final restorations.

“Implementing the newly developed and tested occlusal relationship into definitive restorations requires thorough diagnostics, a structured and preferably noninvasive pretreatment approach, and a reliable method for transferring the tested bite relationship,” the researchers said in the study.

Read more: Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry

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