title: Occlusal registration: science or art?
abstract: Most of the information available to guide the clinician in making occlusal records focuses on the clinical techniques and methods involved. There is little objective information regarding the use of the more recently introduced elastomeric materials which are growing in popularity in the clinic. Much of the published work relies on the clinical experience of the authors rather than the properties of the material to be used to make the occlusal records. This paper aims to review the materials currently available to clinicians for use in occlusal registrations. The materials are discussed with regard to their suitability for the task and suggestions given regarding their use. Setting aside considerations of technique, it is suggested that there would be value in basing the selection of materials for occlusal registration on objective research. However, it may well be that the technique, as with many other things in dentistry, is as important as the specific properties of the materials used.
authors.affiliation: University Dental Hospital of Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D003760:Dental Impression Materials; D003761:Dental Impression Technique; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D006801:Humans; D007574:Jaw Relation Record / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D003760:Dental Impression Materials