title: A survey to determine agreement regarding the definition of centric relation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The definition of centric relation (CR) has been both controversial and divisive, with little consensus.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine whether agreement can be reached on a definition for CR among the Fellows of the Academy of Prosthodontics, the organization that writes the Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey of the Fellows of the Academy of Prosthodontics was conducted at the organization's annual business meeting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 83 eligible Fellows in attendance, 72 responded to the survey, a response rate of 86%. Of those, the 5 responders who did not indicate a preferred definition and the 2 that chose 2 definitions were censored, yielding an analyzable sample of 65 for the definitions. The most common definition received 19 votes, the next 16, and the third 13, with the other 6 definitions receiving from 2 to 5 votes. Some of the variability in definition depended on the era of training.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Disagreement and confusion continues regarding the definition of centric relation. Some of this disagreement can be explained by training era.
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY. Electronic address: gary.goldstein@nyu.edu.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.affiliation: Resident, Advanced Education Program in Prosthodontics, Department of Prosthodontics New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andrawis
authors.affiliation: Clinical Associate Professor, Advanced Education Program in Prosthodontics, Department of Prosthodontics, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Mijin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Clinical Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, Detroit, Mich.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wiens
authors.affiliation: Senior Research Scientist, Epidemiology and Health Promotion, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Malvin N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Janal
mesh_terms: D016302:Centric Relation; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D003814:Dentistry, Operative / Q000193:education; D003778:Dentures; D004497:Education, Dental; D004499:Education, Dental, Graduate; D006801:Humans; D011476:Prosthodontics / Q000193:education*; D012575:Schools, Dental; D013335:Students, Dental; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States