Occlusal pathology is a very complex subject, but I will try to make it as simple as possible for a basic understanding. Occlusal disease of the teeth is characterized by excessive or abnormally accelerated tooth wear. It is caused by deflective interfering contacts on back teeth or in other words, back teeth hitting in a glancing manner. Back teeth have cusps and fosses. The cusp is the point, and the fossa is the valley. The cusp (or point) of one back tooth, therefore, will contact the fossa (or valley) of the opposing back tooth. The ideal human bite has all of the cusps of all back teeth resting perfectly in the opposing fossas while the two joints are fully seated in their sockets.
This is very rarely found naturally and most patients that have this ideal bite relationship have had it produced by a dentist. The process that achieves this nondestructive and comfortable bite relationship is called an equilibration. Those fortunate patients that have had an equilibration have virtually had the cause of occlusal pathology removed. This ideal relationship has the effect of directing the forces of chewing down the long axis of the tooth. These vertical forces are what the tooth, the connection ligament, and supporting bone are best able to bear.
If all the teeth are bearing an equal load down their long axis at the same time the two TM joints are fully seated and braced in their respective sockets, then the system has had all the forces of chewing and other functions equally and evenly dispersed throughout the masticatory system. This is the least stressful and least destructive bite relationship for your teeth, bone, joints, muscles, and yes, your new dental work.
You should be evaluated for occlusal disease before embarking on any extensive restorative dentistry.
