You just visited a dentist and you are wondering about him talking about centric relations, then you are at the right place. This concept has been in debate for a long time in the dentistry industry. So here we are going to discuss more on this concept.
So, what is this centric relation?
Due to the controversy on this particular subject, many of the members of the Academy of Prosthodontics were surveyed through which it was said that centric relation is a “spatial relationship”. This includes
-
- A jaw relationship between the maxilla and the mandible
- A repeatable position
- A position where teeth come in contact with each other
- A physiologic position
If you want to learn more about centric relations then you can check the website of Dominic Thorncroft who is one of the well-known dentists in the UK. He has also shared some tips for clinical dental practice.
How is centric relation called a repeatable position?
This is because when we chew or speak our lower jaw will always return to its original position when related to our upper jaw. This is named a repeatable position.
Why is this centric relation important?
One important reason to have a centric relation is in the preparation of dentures. Most dentures fail to work when they are not in harmony with the position. Thus centric relation has become very important in restorative dentistry, orthodontia and full-mouth reconstruction.
This has become very useful in case of occlusal disease. In such a case, when a patient’s joints and bones are healthy and a restorative position is required. As centric relation is repeatable and predictable, it can help in reducing the chances of occlusal disease.
What is the way to determine the centric relation?
When you need to determine the centric relation, then this can be done in two ways:
- One is when the dentist will make a record with the help of minimal pressure so that it doesn’t disturb the surrounding tissues.
- Second when the dentist will record with heavy pressure that might displace the surrounding tissues.
What are the options for restoring the patients in CR?
Here is the list for your reference:
- The first thing to do is to equilibrate the patient in the CR state. For this, you need to first perform and try these equilibrium states on mounted models rather than the patient themselves. This will help you know the occlusal outcome before you get to the mouth.
- Secondly, you need to mount models in CR, equilibrate and diagnostic wax models. Here the dentist will mount the models on an articular in centric relation with a help of CR bite records as well as a facebow.
- The third option is you can mount the case in CR and perform these diagnostic waxing in the CR. However, here instead of equilibrating the models, we will be diagnostically waxing the case.
As you have got enough idea about centric relation now you will know when the dentist will refer to this. If you still have questions about it, you can check with your dentist for more details.
