'Occlusal sketch'; a reliable technique for technicians to check that the occlusion of models is correct?

The aim of this study was to determine whether the occlusal sketch technique can be used as a reliable means of verifying the occlusal contacts on articulated casts. Occlusal markings were made on 30 sets of upper and lower dentate casts and these were recorded using the 'occlusal sketch' technique. Fifteen out of the total 30 pairs of casts were deliberately corrupted by the clinician so that they no longer matched the record on the 'occlusal sketch'. Three dental technicians were asked to judge in which of the 30 casts the occlusal contacts differed from those represented by the occlusal sketch. The results showed almost perfect agreement between the technicians in correctly identifying which casts had marked occlusal contacts which differed from those recorded on the occlusal sketch. The occlusal sketch provides a reliable way of communicating occlusal contacts that occur in a case, between clinician and technician.