The cranial mechanism: its relationship to cranial-mandibular function.
This review and discussion has raised many points relating the importance of the cranial mechanism to cranial-mandibular function. The increase of concern from one joint to 106 joints brings the cranial mechanism into the forefront of dental theory and practice. Every phase of dentistry is affected by mandibular position, and the cranial mechanism offers the dentist an added dimension for solving and avoiding clinical problems. Techniques for correction and evaluation of the cranial mechanism require a thorough knowledge of head and neck anatomy, but its application can be easily fit into the daily routines of clinical dentistry. Great satisfaction can be derived from being able to relax a lateral pterygoid muscle by diagnosing and correcting a frontal bone lesion, often within a few minutes. The importance of relaxing the musculature before final occlusal equilibration is even greater. As more research is devoted to the cranial mechanism, the findings will continue to supply answers to the unmanageable problems that confront dentists.