Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT)

Which type of dental contact occurs when lateral motion of the mandible is disrupted on the working side?

1. Laterotrusive contact

2. Mediotrusive contact

3. Maxillary contact

4. None of the above

The correct answer is: Laterotrusive contact

The choice indicating laterotrusive contact is accurate because this term refers to the dental contacts that occur on the working side during lateral movements of the mandible. In occlusion, the working side is where the jaw moves towards during lateral excursions. When a patient moves their jaw to one side, the teeth on that side (the working side) are supposed to engage and contact appropriately to facilitate chewing and other functions. This contact is critical for maintaining stability and proper function of the occlusion. On the other hand, mediotrusive contact involves the non-working side, where the opposite side's teeth may come into contact as the mandible moves laterally. Maxillary contact refers broadly to contacts with the upper teeth but doesn’t specifically address lateral movement dysfunction. Therefore, the best representation of the type of contact occurring during the lateral motion of the mandible on the working side is indeed laterotrusive contact.