Active and passive centric arches and other functional lines of the arches

Professor Slavicek’s school identifies different arches in the dental arches that the dental technician needs to get sure reference points during the wax up phases or during big prosthetic reconstructions, such as total removable prosthesis; the clinician needs them to evaluate malocclusion cases. We have always to consider these lines during every prosthetic reconstruction phase. They are called “functional lines” and are:

Lower active centric arch

Upper passive centric arch

Arco estetico-funzionale

Various interrupted arches

Active centric arch

We define “active centric arch” the line that we create connecting the premolars and molars buccal cusps, the canines tips and the incisal edges of the frontal teeth of the lower arch.

Passive centric arch

We define “passive centric arch” the line that we create connecting the marginal ridges and the molars occlusal fossae, the premolars and canines marginal ridges and the marginal ridges of the frontal teeth of the upper arch.

Functional aesthetic arch

We define “functional aesthetic arch” the line that we create connecting the premolar and molars buccal cusps, the canines tips and the marginal edges of the frontal teeth of the upper arch.

interrupted upper active centric arch

We define “upper active centric stamp cusp arch” the line that we create connecting the premolars and molars palatal cusps of the upper arch.

Interrupted lower passive centric arch

We define “interrupted lower passive centric arch” the line that we create connecting the premolars and molars fossae of the lower arch.

Interrupted lingual arch

We define “interrupted lingual arch” the line that we create connecting the premolars and molars lingual cusps of the lower arch.

In classes I, that is in the ideal occlusion, the active centric arch (lower) and the passive centric one (upper) correspond each other creating an ideal stable occlusal relationship one tooth to two.

The interrupted upper active centric arch coincides with lower premolars marginal ridges and the molars occlusal fossae (interrupted lower passive centric arch).

The lower interrupted lingual arch has the task to protect the tongue during its functional movements.