Dental Occlusion, Bite in Dentistry

Occlusion describes how upper and lower teeth fit together when biting.  The study of an individual occlusion can become quite complex when one realizes that biting forces can exceed several hundred pounds per square inch.  Put your finger in your mouth and bite as hard as you can (you know you won' t because you can easily crush your finger!).

Supraeruption describes the natural tendency of teeth to continually erupt (grow) out of the jawbone when there is no opposing tooth in the opposite jaw.  Treating supraeruption can sometimes be complex; this is why one should replace missing teeth quickly.