True or False: A patient's slide from CR to MIP is <2mm, therefore they are predisposed to TMD.

True or False: A patient's slide from CR to MIP is <2mm, therefore they are predisposed to TMD.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not sure
• D. Depends on the patient

Answer: (B)

A small CR–MIP slide is not a reliable predictor of TMD. The distance between centric relation (a jaw position defined by the joints) and maximum intercuspation (the position of the teeth in contact) reflects how the teeth meet relative to the joints. A slide under about 2 mm is common and generally considered within normal variation, not a sign of pathology. TMD risk is multifactorial and not determined by this occlusal discrepancy alone; factors such as disc or joint pathology, parafunctional habits, jaw muscle function, trauma, and psychosocial influences play much larger roles. So a slide of less than 2 mm does not predispose someone to TMD.

A small CR–MIP slide is not a reliable predictor of TMD. The distance between centric relation (a jaw position defined by the joints) and maximum intercuspation (the position of the teeth in contact) reflects how the teeth meet relative to the joints. A slide under about 2 mm is common and generally considered within normal variation, not a sign of pathology. TMD risk is multifactorial and not determined by this occlusal discrepancy alone; factors such as disc or joint pathology, parafunctional habits, jaw muscle function, trauma, and psychosocial influences play much larger roles. So a slide of less than 2 mm does not predispose someone to TMD.