Since graduating from dental school in 2005, I have been searching for the Occlusion guru. To say my dental school education in occlusion was less than satisfactory in preparation for clinical practice would be kind. Like many dentists, I have happily skipped down the yellow brick road, enthusiastic to reach the Emerald City and soak in the wisdom of the all-knowing Oz. I thirst for knowledge because anything I can learn to bring better treatment to my patients is worth the investment.
Too many times I have experienced the shock and disappointment like Dorothy did when she realized the guy behind the curtain was … just a guy. In occlusion, there are many gurus to choose from: centric relation, neuromuscular, biopsychosocial, and joint-based occlusion, including a few gurus that state occlusion is not important to TMD. It is true that all the philosophies bring information forward and…
