There are very little controversies on occlusion in healthy individuals, where centric relation is regarded as the criterion for assessing the present occlusion and also for establishing a new occlusal relationship between the upper and the lower jaws. On the other hand, the occlusal position in patients with deformed condyles still remains to be clarified. In this review, the effectiveness and limits of centric relation in these patients are discussed. In addition, the muscle induced occlusal positions, such as the muscular position and the terminal positions of habitual closing movements, are suggested as a substitution for centric relation. Finally, the importance of a stable intercuspal position, where the habitual closing movements terminate without any premature tooth contact, is emphasized.
Keywords: Adapted centric posture; Centric relation; Deformed condyle; Habitual closing movements; Muscular position; Stable condylar position.