A Guide to Good Occlusal Practice

This book considers occlusion within the different disciplines of clinical dentistry, taking into account the challenges specific to each, in order to develop guidelines of good occlusal practice (GGOP). The GGOP for each discipline has benefited from an authoritative contribution of a recognised specialist in that field.  Readers will find full description of what constitutes good occlusal practice in, for example, simple and advanced restorative dentistry, removable prosthodontics, the restoration of the worn dentition and implantology. It is clearly explained why and how the GGOP differ in the various branches of dentistry, the key point being that it is the support for the occlusal surfaces that determines GGOP. One of the foundations of this work is that an occlusion can only be judged by the tissue reactions to it: there is no such thing as an intrinsically bad occlusion or malocclusion.

Today it remains the case that many dentistsfeel that occlusion represents an important gap in their knowledge; indeed, some qualify with little more than the belief that “occlusion is important”. Their vulnerability in this area of clinical practice is confirmed when early cases fail to go as well as hoped. In providing comprehensive guidance on good occlusal practice in different contexts, this book will be of value for a wide range of dental practitioners.

“The BDJ Clinician’s Guides series aims to support dental undergraduates and newly qualified clinicians and to act as a refresher for more experienced dentists. Dental occlusion is an area where all the above may benefit from help. This updated book is full of practical clinical information. It is generally up-to-date and evidence-based and is a valuable addition to the series.” (Robert Jagger, British Dental Journal, Vol. 233 (6), September, 2022)

Stephen John Davies, BDS, DGDP(UK), MSc, is a Lead Clinician of the Temporomandibular (TMD) Clinic at University Dental Hospital  of Manchester  UK., and Lecturer in Occlusal and Temporomandibular Studies at the University of Manchester. He is a registered Specialist in Restorative Dentistry at the General Dental Council. In addition to his hospital and academic careers, he has also worked in Primary Care since 1972.   He was the UK national representative on the Council of the European Academy of Craniomandibular Disorders (EACD) and a past chairman of the EACD Education Committee. He is a founder member of the EACD’s successor the European Academy of OroFacial Pain and Dysfunction [EAOPD].    He is a past President of the Manchester Medical Society Section of Odontology and won the Society’s Alan Hilton Memorial Medal for Research  in 1995. He successfully developed the “Occlusal Sketch” technique for bite registration. He is the author of more than 50 papers in refereed journals.