Restorative Dentistry

Occlusion — the Missing Conversation

A restoration is only as durable as the bite it lives in.

5 min readMedically reviewed

The way teeth meet — statically and during function — determines how long any restoration will last. Yet occlusion is often the least-discussed variable in restorative planning.

What clinicians look at

  • Wear facets and their pattern
  • Joint function and range of motion
  • Parafunction: clenching and grinding
  • Stability of the bite over time

Why it matters

Beautiful ceramic placed into a destructive bite fails on the same schedule as the teeth that preceded it. Correcting occlusion is often the highest-value intervention in a long-term plan.

Medically reviewed

Reviewed and edited by Dr. Marianna Zadov, DDS. Last updated August 2026.