What term describes how teeth come together when the jaws close?

• A. Mastication
• B. Occlusal plane
• C. Contact pattern
• D. Occlusion

Answer: (D)

Occlusion describes how the upper and lower teeth come together when the jaws close. It covers the alignment and contact relationship of all teeth in static bite (centric occlusion) and during jaw movements (dynamic occlusion). This concept is concerned with how forces are distributed across the teeth and supporting structures when the mouth is closed, which is essential for preventing wear, discomfort, or joint problems.

Mastication refers to the act of chewing itself, not the overall contact relationship of teeth. The occlusal plane is the imaginary surface through the biting surfaces of the teeth, a geometric reference rather than a description of how teeth meet. A contact pattern describes which teeth touch in a given position, but occlusion is the broader term that includes that contact and how the entire dentition relates when the jaws close and move. So the term that best fits the description is occlusion.