Abstract: PURPOSE: To compare the effects of three occlusal adjustment methods in different sequences by articulating paper on the delayed occlusal characteristics of single molars. METHODS: Thirty-two implants of first molars were divided into group A(n=12), group B (n=12) and group C (n=12) by sequential adjustment according to random number means, and (100+40), (100+50+30) and (100+40+20) μm sequence occlusal papers were used for occlusal adjustment, respectively. TeeTester was used to measure the delay time and force ratio between prosthesis and adjacent teeth at restoration day, 3 and 6 months after restoration, and to record the number of cases readjusting in each group during follow-up. SPSS 25.0 software package was used for data analysis. RESULTS: There were significant differences in delay time between groups at restoration day (P<0.05), and 3 and 6 months after restoration, delay time of group C was still smaller than that of group A and B (P<0.05). During follow-up, the time of each group showed a trend of shortening (P<0.05), but there was still delayed occlusion. Compared with group B and C, the force ratio in group A was lower at each time(P<0.05). The ratio of each group showed an increasing trend during follow-up (P<0.05), and group C showed the largest increase (P<0.001). The number of cases readjusting was relatively small in group A, and the most was in group C(P<0.05). There was positive correlation between delay time and force difference of prosthesis and adjacent teeth(P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The (100+40) μm sequence group had higher occlusal stability and better clinical applicability. The smaller the occlusal contact space realized by the sequential method, the greater the change might be, which requires close follow-up in clinical practice.

Key words: Delayed occlusion, Occlusal adjustment, Occlusal contact space, Implant prosthesis, Articulating paper