[Occlusal schemes of complete dentures--a review of the literature].

Abstract

There isn't one occlusal scheme that fits all patients in need of complete dentures, in fact, in many cases more than one occlusal scheme might be adequate. Selection of an occlusal scheme for a patient should include correlation of the characteristics of the patient with those of the various occlusal schemes. The characteristics of the patient include: height and width of the residual ridge, aesthetic demands of the patient, skeletal relations (class I/II/III), neuromuscular control, and tendency for para-functional activity. The multiple characteristics of the occlusal schemes were reviewed in this article. Considering all of those factors in relation to a specific patient, the dentist should be able to decide on the most suitable occlusal scheme for the case.