balanced occlusion, simultaneous contact between the upper and lower teeth on both sides and in the anterior and posterior occlusal areas of the jaws. An appropriate dental prosthesis is constructed with such an occlusion to stabilize the denture base and prevent the denture base from tipping or rotating in relation to the supporting structures. This term is primarily associated with intraoral assessment of occlusal harmony but may also be used in the process of pretesting the occlusion while the dentures are mounted on casts attached to an anatomical articulator. See also balanced articulation.
