title: Determining the requirements, section quantity, and dimension of the virtual occlusal record.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Conventional methods associated with many processes in dentistry are being replaced by methods that use digital technology. One of these processes is the making of occlusal records for the positioning of casts in a virtual articulator. Conventional interocclusal records and the articulator are currently being replaced by the intraoral virtual occlusal record and the virtual articulator.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the requirements, quantity, and dimensions of the virtual occlusal record procedure in order to locate the mandibular cast's 3-dimensional (3D) spatial position in reference to its corresponding maxillary cast on a virtual articulator.
  
  
  METHODS
  For the conventional procedure, 6 sets of casts were located in maximal intercuspal position without any interocclusal record. Then, using articulating paper, the occlusal contacts were determined. Afterward, the occlusal relationships and stone cast were digitized with a 3D scanner. To locate the maxillary cast, the occlusal contacts were compared by taking different sections as the virtual occlusal record. Finally, the optimum dimension of the virtual occlusal record was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study determines the requirements, quantity, and dimensions of the virtual occlusal record using current reverse engineering tools. The combinations of the sections were first determined as follows: 3 sections (2 lateral and 1 frontal) and 2 lateral sections proved to be the most accurate. Then, the predictive values (PV) for dimension determination for the left-right lateral combination were calculated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The main conclusion of this study was that the combination of left and right lateral occlusal records was the most convenient. Additionally, the minimum optimum dimension for a virtual occlusal record was 12×15 mm.
authors.affiliation: Researcher, Department of Graphic Design and Engineering Projects, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: eneko.solaberrieta@ehu.eus.
authors.forename: Eneko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Solaberrieta
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Graphic Design and Engineering Projects, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Agustin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arias
authors.affiliation: Professor and Associate Dean, Department of Prosthodontics and Occlusion, Faculty of Odontology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Aritza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brizuela
authors.affiliation: Researcher, Department of Graphic Design and Engineering Projects, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Xabier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Garikano
authors.affiliation: Professor and Associate Dean, Department of Buccofacial Prostheses, Faculty of Odontology, University Complutense of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pradies
mesh_terms: D003725:Dental Articulators; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007574:Jaw Relation Record; D008437:Maxilla; D003765:Models, Dental