Anterior guidance: the key determinant of posterior occlusion

Abstract

One of the key factors affecting a long-term stability and durability of dental prostheses including teeth in patients is the optimum anterior guidance. Apart from esthetic, phonetic and masticatory function, the anterior teeth are a principle determinant of posterior occlusal anatomy and the key factor in protecting the posterior teeth. The unfavorable anterior guidance consequently leads to unstable post-dental treatment. Unfortunately, the anterior guidance cannot be determined on an articulator. Therefore, the anterior guidance must be transferred from patients to the articulator by indirect technique using customized anterior guide table. This customized anterior guide table fabricated from the corrected provisional restorations will help the dental technicians to make the precise position and contour of the final restorations.

Key words: Anterior guidance, Condylar guidance, Customized anterior guide table, Occlusal interference