How important is occlusion in CMD?
A. The scientific literature mostly denies the link between occlusion and CMD. However, the results of ongoing studies in Finland by Kirveskari and coworkers support the clinical impression that in many patients with CMD the change of occlusion plays an important role in the treatment of CMD. The insertion of any type of splint is an immediate change of occlusion, when defined as the static relationship between the jaws. With this approach the insertion of a splint is justified in those patients where clenching of teeth is the cause for the exhaustion of muscle and joint function. Since the publication of our results of the analysis of condylar asymmetry from different studies in Spain, the Netherlands and Australia it has been even more important for my clinical activity that occlusion plays the important role in the treatment of CMD when the condylar asymmetry is the morphologic reason for an asymmetric abuse of the stomatognathic system. In our patients with a condylar asymmetry it
