ToothWearIndex-RamfjordandAsh-PGOcclusion.docVIP

Tooth Wear Literature Index – Ramfjord and Ash, Occlusion, Ed. 4 Author Date Publication Title Point 1 Point 2 Point 3 Ramfjord and Ash 1995, W. B. Sanders, 01 Occlusion – 4th Ed, p iii Preface Diverging lines of thought are pointed out and readers are invited to think rather than to disagree either on the basis of prevailing winds of changing ideologies or vested research interests. The concept of occlusion presented in this book strongly supports the idea that the teeth, which are actively involved in function and parafunction, are integral parts of the masticatory system and susceptible to primary and secondary interactive influences. Lately, a trend has developed that tends to obfuscate the role of occlusion in the disorders of the masticatory system. Primarily, this notion stems from the publications of nonclinicians and researchers who do little if any clinical research, but concentrate on basic neurosciences. Their thrust is that clinical phenomena that have not been confirmed experimentally are hearsay. Ramfjord and Ash 1995, W. B. Sanders, 02 Occlusion – 4th Ed, p iv That the specific role of occlusion in the etiology and treatment of disorders of the masticatory system has not been established “scientifically” does not by any means allow the conclusion that occlusion has nothing to do with such disorders. Un fortunately, a good experimental animal for studies of occlusion is not available and retrospective studies without meaningful measurement systems and with numerous variables, encourage a wide range of circumspect interpretations. Of much greater interest are a few prospective clinical studies with altered occlusion as the only variables. These studies have documented that even minor changes in occlusion may induce disorders in the masticatory system that may vary from individual to individual and that psychic factors influence such disturbances as well. The success rate depends on the ability to stay within the tolerance level of the patient in