JAW RELATION

Why to Record the Jaw Relations ?

To establish and maintain a harmonious

relationship with all oral structures and to
provide a masticatory apparatus that is
efficient and esthetically acceptable.

Clinical guidelines

Jaw Relation Records A Review

Orientation Jaw relation: Face bow Registration.
Vertical Jaw Relations:
Rest Vertical Dimension RVD
Occlusion Vertical Dimension OVD

Horizontal Jaw Relations:

Centric Relation
Centric Occlusion
Eccentric Relations
Protrusive relation
Lt & Rt Lateral relations

The Face-bow / Ear-bow

is an instrument used to record the spatial relationship of the
maxilla to some anatomic reference (transverse horizontal axis)
and then transfer this relationship to an articulator.

The registration obtained by means of a face-bow is called a

face-bow record.

Vertical Jaw Relation

The vertical distance between
two selected points, one on the
fixed (maxilla) and one on the
movable member (mandible).

Vertical Jaw Relations

Rest Vertical Dimension RVD
Occlusion Vertical Dimension OVD
Inter-occlusal Distance / Free way Space

Rest Vertical Dimension (RVD)

Is the distance measured when
the mandible is in the rest
position.
Occlusal vertical Dimension (OVD)
Is the distance measured when
the occluding rims or teeth are
in contact.

Inter-occlusal Distance
The distance between the occluding surfaces of maxillary
and mandibular teeth when the mandible is in the rest
position.
For a complete denture patient, it is the difference
between RVD and OVD.
RVD OVD = 4 mm
or

RVD 4 mm = OVD

Inter-occlusal Distance
In natural dentition it ranges from 2-4 mm in the
premolar area - the Freeway Space.

Freeway space

SIGNIFICANCE
Bone-to-bone relation - vertical direction
Absence of pathosis - relation is constant
throughout life
Position - recorded & measured within
acceptable limits - repeatable
Reference position - arriving at VDO in
edentulous patients - who have lost the
occlusal determinants of vertical position.

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METHODS- RECORD
PHYSIOLOGIC METHODS
1.1.Physiologic rest position
2. Phonetics and esthetics
as guides

MECHANICAL METHODS
1. Ridge relation
A.Distance of incisive papilla from
mandibular incisors
B. Parallelism of the ridges
2. Measurements of former dentures

3. Swallowing threshold

3. Pre extraction records

A.Profile radiographs

4. Tactile sense

B. Casts of teeth in occlusion

C. Facial measurements

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RECORDING REST
POSITION

RECORDING OCCLUSION
POSITION

Pre extraction records

A.Profile photographs
1.

1.

Facial measurements

2.

Tactile sense.

3.

Measurements of
anatomic landmarks

4.

Speech

5.

Facial expression

B.Profile silhouettes
C.Radiography
D.Articulated cast
2. Measurements with former
dentures
3.Wax occlusal rims
4. Neuromuscular perception
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Mechanical methods-Ridge relation

Distance

of incisive papilla from mandibular

incisors

Incisive papilla
measure- patient's
vertical dimension
Stable landmark
-changes little
-resorption of the
alveolar ridge
From the incisal edges
of the mandibular
anterior teeth - 4mm
Incisal edges of
maxillary central
incisors - 6mm
Usual vertical overlap
-2mm
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RIDGE PARALLELISM
Paralleling of maxillary
& mandibular ridges
plus 5* opening in
posterior region -the
correct amount of jaw
separation.
Clinical crowns of the
anterior and posterior
natural teeth -nearly
the same length their removal residual alveolar
ridges nearly parallel
to each other

25

Teeth are lost at

different times finally edentulous residual ridges - no
longer parallel.
Great amount of bone
loss -periodontal
disease / resorption
-not be parallel

26

Measurements of former
dentures
Resorption of the
residual ridges dentures -increase in
interocclusal distance.
Inaccurate adaption of
the denture base to the
tissues - displacement of
the denture.
Use other methods
-establish the vertical
dimension of occlusion compare -with the
former dentures in
occlusion
27

Pre extraction records

Profile radiographs
Used - establish VD
if patient seen before extractions
Radiographs
advocated
Cephalometric
profile
Condylar head
position
28

Pre extraction records

Profile Photographs
Taking photographs
before extraction
guide to develop vd
after extraction
Photographs made teeth in maximum
occlusion - position can
be maintained
accurately for
photographic
procedures
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Profile Silhouettes
Accurate reproduction
of the profile in
silhouette
Cardboard
contoured in wire.
Repositioned to the face
- after the vertical
dimension has
established - initial
recording /artificial
teeth are tried in
30

Pre extraction records

Articulated casts
Accurate casts of the
maxillary and
mandibular arches have
been made- maxillary
cast -related in its
correct anatomic
position on an
articulator -face-bow
transfer.
Occlusal record
-centric relation is
used to mount the
mandibular cast
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Facial measurements
Willis method
Lower border of septum of
the nose lower border of
chin
outer canthus of eye corner
of relaxed lips with teeth in
occlusion

Eye-lip-nose-chin method Willis 1935

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Physiologic rest position

Niswongers method
Camper's plane is
parallel to the floor.
Two precise dot marks
are madeSwallow and relax.
Measured
Repeated
Rest vertical
dimension

33

Phonetics
The most popular sound - determining rest position is the
Labial m sound
M sound often leaves the lips in contact.
As soon as they are parted by the dentist to observe
The space between the occlusion rims- the mandible is
Depressed -the rest position is lost.
Overcome- this difficulty the sound m - s often extended to
the word emma or followed by the labial p sound- which
leaves the lips apart;
Hence, the popularity of the word mississippi
Teeth click each other during pronunciation of these soundsvertical space is over opened.
Pronounced as sh, or whistling sound, - vertical dimension is
reduced

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Phonetics
Closest speaking space
Free-way space
Establishes vertical
dimension when the
muscles involved are at
complete
rest, and the mandible
is in its rest position

The closest
speaking space
Measures vertical
dimension when
the mandible and
muscles involved are in
the active
full function of speech.

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Esthetics

Esthetic harmony of the

lower third of face relative rest of the face
Contour of the lips
Appearance of the skin from
the margin
Of the lower lip - lower
border of the chin
Labiomental angle
With the lips in contact elevation of the mandible and
the compression of the Lips discernible on mandibular
closing from rest position to
the vertical dimension of
occlusion.

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Tactile sense & patient

perceived comfort

37

Effects - Increased vertical dimension

Discomfort
clicking of teeth
constant trauma on the
tissues - increased
resorption of the residual
ridges, muscular fatigue.
At rest lips parted closing
them expression of strain.
Long face.

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Effects - Decreased vertical dimension

Inefficiency - overclosure muscles of mastication
acting frm attachments brought close together
Cheek biting loss of muscular tone & reduced
vertical height
Senile appearance close appearance of nose-chinsoft tissues sag- lines deepened
Angular cheilitis - reduced inter arch distance crease at the corners of the mouth bathed in
saliva infected & sore
Ear discomfort & impaired hearing - encroachment
- closure or occlusion of the opening of the
eustachian tubes
Tmj involvement - obscure pains ,discomfort,
clicking sounds, headaches & neuralgia.

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Horizontal Jaw Relation

Centric Relation

the most retruded position of the mandible to maxilla at an

established OVD.
It is a bone to bone relation that is repeatable by the patient. It
remains constant throughout life & during its recording cuspal
relation of the teeth is not considered.

The maxillo-mandibular relationship in which the condyles

articulate with the thinnest avascular portion of their
respective disks, with the complex in the anterior-superior
position against the slopes of the articular eminences.
To record this position, the mandible
is directed superiorly and anteriorly
restricted to a purely rotary movement
about a transverse horizontal axis.

Skeletal jaw relation

Class I relation
Class II relation
Class III relation

CLASS I RELATION

CLASS II RELATION

CLASS III RELATION