Digital Occlusion Analysis: Beyond the Articulating Paper

The Limit of Human Perception

Articulating paper marks points of contact, but it fails to tell us two critical data points: Force and Time. A large blue mark might be a high force contact, or it might just be a "smudge" from a broad, low-force contact. Relying solely on paper leads to "chasing the bite."

Quantifying the Bite

Digital occlusion analysis (T-Scan) allows us to record the biting sequence in 0.003-second increments. This reveals:

Premature Contacts: Which tooth hits first?
Force Distribution: Is the bite force balanced 50/50 left to right?
Disclusion Time: How fast do posterior teeth verify during lateral excursion?

The Disclusion Time Reduction (DTR) Protocol

Pathologic muscle activity often stems from posterior interferences during mastication. By keeping disclusion time under 0.4 seconds, we can significantly reduce masseter and temporalis muscle hyperactivity.

"A balanced bite is a silent bite. The brain should not be aware of where the teeth are."

Clinical Application in Implantology

Implants lack a Periodontal Ligament (PDL), meaning they have no proprioception or "give." Overloading an implant is silent but deadly, leading to screw loosening or bone loss. Digital analysis allows us to intentionally "lighten" the occlusion on implants compared to natural teeth (a concept known as Delayed Timing), ensuring the natural dentition absorbs the initial impact before the rigid implant engages.