Aa. Campos et al., REPRODUCIBILITY AND CONDYLAR POSITION OF A PHYSIOLOGICAL MAXILLOMANDIBULAR CENTRIC RELATION IN UPRIGHT AND SUPINE BODY POSITION, The Journal of prosthetic dentistry, 76(3), 1996, pp. 282-287
Better understanding of the physiologic features of the masticatory sy
stem has led to the evolution of the concept of maxillomandibular cent
ric relation from the mechanical to physiological bases, However, the
reproducibility of physiologic methods for centric relation determinat
ion has been criticized, In this clinical study the swallowing techniq
ue was modified to establish a physiologic centric relation in a repro
ducible manner, Condylar and disk positioning and reproducibility of t
he proposed modified swallowing technique (MST) were compared with the
same parameters of a traditional technique, namely, the chin point gu
idance technique (CGT), Both techniques were studied with the patient
in the upright and supine positions, Three interocclusal records were
obtained for each technique-position combination for each of the 30 pa
tients, The recorded maxillomandibular relations were analyzed on the
three-dimensional analyzer, MST positioned the condyles in a more supe
roanterior position than did CGT, which was interpreted as a better se
ating of the condyles and disk in the articular fossae, There was no s
ignificant difference in reproducibility between MST and CGT on x, y,
or z axes (p > 0.05), indicating that it is possible to establish a ph
ysiologic centric relation in a reproducible manner, The term ''functi
onal centric area'' was proposed in this study to define a neuromuscul
arly determined centric occlusal scheme.