Determining the occlusal plane: a literature review

Objective: The purpose of the present review was to demonstrate the utility of articulator systems and link instrumentation in determining the occlusal plane. The impact of the natural head position and anatomical landmarks on the occlusal plane location has been reported in the literature. Properly chosen instrumentation and management methods eliminate errors in determining the occlusal plane.Methods: The PubMed and the Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source (through EbscoHost) databases were searched for ways to minimize the occurrence of errors when registering and determining the occlusal plane location, with or without the use of face-bows. A hand search and citation mining supplemented the results.Results: Overall, 11 original approaches to occlusal plane determination were identified.Discussion: Identified methods of occlusal plane transfer are based on real or virtual solutions. Owing to the large variety of devices, additional comparative studies are needed.