DEPARTMENT OF PROSTHODONTICS

BALANCED
OCCLUSION
By
Reema Talat
Ayesha
Final year
R.R.D.C

 Definition
Types of Balanced Occlusion
-Unilateral
-Bilateral
-Protrusive
-Lateral
Concepts of Balanced Occlusion
-Gysis concept
-Frenchs concept
-Sears concept
-Pleasures concept
-Hanaus Quint
-Trapozzanos concept of occlusion
-Bouchers concept
-Lotts concept
Factors influencing Balanced Occlusion

DEFINITION
The simultaneous contacting of the
maxillary and mandibular teeth on
the right and left side and in the
posterior and anterior occlusal areas
in centric and eccentric positions,
developed to lessen or limit tipping
or rotating of the denture bases in
relation to the supporting
structures-GPT

Types of Balanced Occlusion

Unilateral Balanced Occlusion
This is a type of occlusion seen on occlusal
surfaces of teeth on one side when they
occlude simulatenously with a smooth ,
uninterrupted glide. This is not followed during
complete denture preparation. It is more
pertained to fixed partial dentures.
Bilateral Balanced Occlusion
This is a type of occlusion that is seen when a
simultaneous contact occurs on both sides in
centric and eccentric positions. Bilateral
balanced occlusion helps to distribute the
occlusal load evenly across the arch and
therefore helps to improve stability of the
denture during centric, eccentric or

 Protrusive balanced Occlusion

This type of balanced occlusion is
present when mandible moves in
a forward direction and the
occlusal contacts are smooth and
simultaneous anteriorly and
posteriorly.There should be
atleast three points of contact in
the occlusal plane.Two located
posteriorly and one
anteriorly.Absent in natural
dentition. Posterior contact during protrusion
to maintain balance

Lateral Balanced Occlusion

In lateral balance there will be a
minimal simultaneous three point
contact present during lateral
movement of mandible.This is
absent in natural dentition.Teeth
should be arranged such that there
is simultaneous tooth contact in
Canine
guided side and working side.
balancing
disocclusion.This relationship
is seen in natural dentition

Anterio and posterior

tooth contact during
laterotrusion seen on
working side.

Mechanics of balanced occlusion

In natural teeth when the
mandible is protuded so
that the incisal edges of the
upper & the lower teeth
contact, there is a gap
between the upper & lower
posterior teeth, this is
termed as Christensens
phenomenon.
But this occlusion could
cause tipping of the
denture in the posterior
region. Thus simultaneous
anterior & posterior
contacts are required when
mandible is protruded.

Concepts proposed Gysis concept

He proposed the first
concept towards
balanced occlusion in
1914.He suggested
arranging 33 degree
anatomic teeth could be
used under various
movements of the
articulator to enhance

 Frenchs concept
He proposed lowering the lower occlusal
plane to increase the stability of the
dentures along with balanced
occlusion.he arranged upper first
premolars with 5 inclination,upper
second premolars with 10 inclination
and uppe r molars with 15 inclination.He
used modified French teeth to obtain
balanced occlusion.

Searss Concept
He proposed balanced occlusion for non
anatomical teeth using posterior
balancing ramps or an occlusal plane
which curves anteroposteriorly and
laterally.

 Pleasures concept
Pleasure introduced a pleasure
curve or the posterior lateral
curve to align and arrange
posterior teeth in order to
increase the stability of the
denture.

Frushs concept
He advised arranging teeth in a
one dimensional contact
relationship,which should be
reshaped during try in to

 Hanaus Quint
Rudolph L.Hanau proposed nine factors
that govern the articulation of artificial
teeth.They are
-Horizontal condylar guidance
-Compensating Curve
-Protrusive Incisal Guidance
-Plane of orientation
-Buccolingual inclination of tooth axis
-Saggital condylar pathway
-Saggital Incisal Guidance
-Tooth Alignment
-Relative Cusp Height

Hanau later condensed these

nine factors and formulated
five factors which are
commonly known as
Hanaus Quint:
-Condylar Guidance
-Incisal Guidance
-Compensating
curves
-Relative Cusp Height
-Plane of Orientation of
occlusal plane

A). Incisal guidance

B). Condylar
guidance
C). Cuspal
angulation D).plane
of occlusion
E). Compensating
curve.

 Trapozzanos Concept of
Occlusion

HE reviewed and simplified

Hanaus Quint and proposed his
Triad Of Occlusion.He said
that plane of occlusion could be
shifted to favour weak
ridges,hence its location is not
constant and is variable within
the inter arch distance.
-Condylar Guidance
-Incisal Guidance
-Relative Cusp Height

 Bouchers Concept
Boucher proposed the following
three factors for balanced
occlusion.
-Orientation of the occlusal
plane,the incisal guidance
and the condylar guidance.
-The angulation of the cusp is
more important than the height of
the cusp.
-The compensating curve
enables one to increase the
height of the cusp without
changing the form of teeth

 Lotts Concept
-The greater the angle of the condylar
path,the greater is the posterior separation
during protrusion.
-The greater the angle of the overbite,the
greater is the separation in the anterior and
posterior regions irrespective of the angle
of the condylar path.
-The greater the separation of the posterior
teeth the greater or higher must be the
compensating curve.
-Posterior separation beyond the balancing
abiltiy of the compensating curve can be
balanced by the introduction of the plane of
orientation.
-The greater the separation of the teeth, the
greater must be the height of the cusps of
posterior teeth.

 Levins Concept
He named the four factors of occlusion
as the QUAD
-The condylar guidance is fixed and is
recorded from the patient.
-The incisal guidance is usually
obtained from patients esthetic and
phonetic requirements
-The compensating curve is the most
important factor in obtaining occlusal
balance.
- Cusp teeth have the inclines
necessary for balanced occlusion but
nearly always used with a
compensating curve.

Factors influencing balanced

occlusion
Thielemanns
formula

Balanced Occlusion= K . I
OP .C .
OK
Where,
K CONDYLAR INCLINATION,
I INCISAL INCLINATION,
C CUSPAL HEIGHT,
OP INCLINATION OF PLANE OF
ORIENTATION,
OK PROMINANCE OF
COMPENSATING CURVE.

1. CONDYLAR GUIDANCE

Mandibular guidance
generated by the
condyle and articular
disc traversing the
contour of the glenoid
fossae
This
is the only factor which can
be recorded from patient.It is
registered using prostrusive
registration and transferred to
the articulator as the condylar
guidance.This factor of
Balanced occlusion cannot be
modified.

a).Horizontal condylar
guidance-guides the
forward movement for
protrusive balance.
b).Lateral condylar
guidance-guides the
sideward or lateral
movement of the
mandible.
Posterior slope of the
articular eminence
represented by the

2. INCISAL GUIDANCE
The influence of the contacting
surfaces of the mandibular and
maxillary anterior teeth on
mandibular movements
It is determined by the dentist and
customised for the patient during
anterior try in. It acts as a controlling
path for the movements of the casts
in an articulator.Its should be set
according to the desired overjet and
overbite planned for the patient.If
overjet is increased,the inclination of
the incisal guidance is decreased.The
incisal guidance has more influence
on posterior teeth than condylar
guidance.

3. PLANE OF OCCLUSION OR OCCLUSAL

PLANE

An imaginary surface which is related

anatomically to the cranium and
which theorotically touches the
incisal edges of the incisors and tips
of occluding surfaces of the posterior
teeth.It is not a plane in the true
sense of word but represents the
mean curvature of the surface
The plane of occlusion can be
altered to a maximum of 10o

It is established anteriorly by the height

of the lower canine,which nearly
coincides with the commisure of the
mouth and posteriorly by the height
of the retro molar pad.It is usually
parallel to Campers line.

4. COMPENSATING CURVES
The anteroposterior and
lateral curvatures in the
allignment of the occluding
surfaces and incisal edges of
artificial teeth which are used
to develop balanced
occlusion.
2 types of curves:
-Anteroposterior curves
-Lateral curves

Curve of Spee
Anatomic curvature of the
occlusal alignment of teeth
beginning at the tip of lower
canine and following buccal
cusps of natural premolars and
It is seen in the natural
dentition
molars,continuing
to the
and should
be reproduced
in a CD.
anterior
border
of ramus

The significance of the curve is that,

when the patient moves his
mandible forward, the posterior
teeth set on this curve will continue
Posterior in
teeth
to remain
contact.
separation when the
curve of spee not
incorporated
Incorporating the curve
spee will provide
posterior tooth contact
during protrusion

Monsons Curve
The curve of occlusion in
which each cusp and incisal
edges touches or conforms
to a segment of a sphere of
8 inches in diameter with
its center in the region of
Glabella.
Only if teeth are set following
Monsons curve will there be
lateral balance of occlusion.
runs across the palatal & buccal
cusps of maxillary molars.

 Wilsons Curve
A curve of occlusion
which is convex
upwards
This curve is followed
when first premolars are
arranged. The premolars
are arranged according
to this curve so that they
do not produce any
interference to lateral
movements.

Pleasure Curve/Reverse
Curve

Lateral view with 2nd

PM & 1st molar follow
the reverse curve

A curve of occlusion which

in transverse cross section
conforms to a line which is
convex upward except for
last molars
This curve runs from
palatal cusp of the first
premolar to the distobucaal
cusp of second molar,The
Reverse curve
second
molar gives
is used in the
bicuspid area
occlusal
balance and the
for lever
second
balance premolar gives

5.

Cuspal Angulation

The angle made by the average

slope of a cusp with the cusp plane
measured mesiodistally and
buccolingually
The cusps on the teeth or the
inclination of the cuspless teeth are
important factors that modify the
effect of plane of occlusion and the
compensating curves. The
mesiodistal cusps lock the occlusion,
such that the repositioning of teeth
does not occur due to settling of the
base. To prevent the locking of
occlusion the mesiodistal cusps are
reduced during occlusal reshaping.