Occlusal Considerations in Determining Treatment Prognosis

To function in occlusal harmony, the masticatory apparatus--composed of the teeth and its supporting structures, temporomandibular joints, and associated neuromusculoskeletal structures--must operate in an integrated and dynamic manner. Loss of integrated function, or of homeostasis in response to functional demand, may generate problems in occlusion. In health, adaptive changes occur with the teeth and periodontium in response to functional occlusal forces. With periodontal and endodontic disease, this adaptive capacity diminishes. The ability to foresee how these changes may influence dental treatment is important in the art of determining treatment prognosis.