Are posterior tooth contacts really harmless?

Could group function and non-working side interferences be driving muscular TMD, headaches, and facial pain?

And can digital occlusal data change how we approach bite adjustment?

Dr. Jeremy Bliss joins the podcast to tackle one of the most controversial topics in dentistry: Selective Grinding/Equilibration for TMD but specifically Disclusion Time Reduction (DTR). With a strong focus on restorative technology, lasers, and T-Scan analysis, Jeremy brings a practical and experience-driven perspective to occlusion and bite therapy.

This episode breaks DTR down from the very beginning—what it is, how it differs from traditional equilibration, and why reducing posterior tooth contact during excursive movements may help certain susceptible patients. The conversation also explores canine guidance vs group function, macro vs micro occlusion, and where DTR fits within evidence-based dentistry when conservative care has failed.

Protrusive Dental Pearl: Don’t buy advanced occlusal or motion-tracking tech unless your type of dentistry, training, lab support, and local backup can fully use the data—otherwise it’s just a Ferrari stuck in traffic.

Key Takeaways: Disclusion Time Reduction (DTR) & T-Scan

Highlights:

Effectiveness of T-scan Technology in Identifying Occlusal Interferences and its Role in the Management of Temporomandibular Disorders: A Systematic Review

Individual Practice Contact: blissdental.co.uk – contact directly via the website form for information about DTR or patient referrals.

DTR Treatment for TMD with Dr Jaz Gulati in Richmond, London

#PDPMainEpisodes #OcclusionTMDandSplints #CareerDevelopment

To learn more about Disclusion Time Reduction, check out: Occlusograms are Lying To Us! Don’t Trust the ‘Heat Map’ – PDP247 

This episode is eligible for 1 CE credit via the quiz on Protrusive Guidance. 

This episode meets GDC Outcomes C

AGD Subject Code: 180 OCCLUSION

Aim: To understand the principles and clinical applications of digital occlusal analysis and Disclusion Time Reduction (DTR) for managing occlusion-related muscular pain, TMD, and improving restorative dentistry outcomes.

Dentists will be able to:

Cost:
Access to this CE activity is included with an active Protrusive Guidance membership. Current membership pricing is available at www.protrusive.app.

Cancellation & Refund Policy:
Memberships may be cancelled at any time. Access to CE activities remains active until the end of the current billing cycle. Subscription charges are non-refundable once processed. Full details are available at www.protrusive.app.