Introduction to Force Balance Occlusion

Presented by: Mark W. Montgomery, DMD, FACA

Original Publication Date: May 15, 2013

Course Description:

Wear, damage, fracture, abfractions, restoration failure, and pain are among the traumas, signs, and symptoms of an underlying problem for dental patients. Although dentists want to provide opportunities for the best possible treatment outcomes, doing so requires determining the foundational cause of these manifestations of disease and dysfunction. Rather than isolate the teeth and their pathology from functional and parafunctional physiology, pursuing a force-balanced occlusion focuses the examination process and initial care sequence on addressing occlusion, dental anatomy, mastication physiology, and oral sensorimotor function. It also addresses the musculoskeletal anatomy and part of the head and neck in a rehabilitative way. The presentation introduces attendees to approaches for establishing force-balanced occlusion that will enable dentists to offer patients minimally invasive methods to deal with their symptoms and problems and provide them with a pathway to long-term, predictable health and dental stability.

Learning Objectives:

• Apply customized treatment plans to optimize healing and achieve remission in real-world clinical scenarios.
• Analyze the integration of advanced technologies, such as laser treatments, in dental practice and evaluate their impact on patient care and outcomes.

Speaker Bio:

Mark W. Montgomery, DMD, has been a prominent dental instructor, innovator, and educator for the past 30 years. A Fellow of the Academy of Comprehensive Aesthetics, he has lectured and taught extensively at dental association conferences and study clubs throughout the country regarding various functional and aesthetic topics, as well as dentomandibular sensorimotor function and dysfunction. He also has developed integrated systems to manage pain, headaches, temporomandibular joint disorders, and force-managed occlusion. He has taught thousands of dentists to use well-defined systems to enhance their clinical excellence and most recently co-authored the textbook Understanding, Assessing & Treating Dentomandibular Sensorimotor Dysfunction.