Dawson Quick Tip: Creating Great Bite Records in Centric Relation

When you’re taking your bite record in centric relation, first of all you want to make sure that the wax is heated thoroughly.

Second of all is, after you’ve taken the wax out after you’ve manipulated the patient into the wax, and you’re ready to trim it, what I like to do is create a soft line first through the buccal cusp tips, then go back through and go ahead and cut the wax all the way through.

By creating the soft line, you’re going to be able to follow those cusp tips more accurately because some teeth can be more buccal or lingual, and that line just isn’t a perfect, straight line.

So make sure that you heat your knife very well, and it’s well heated when you create that first soft line right through the buccal tips and then come back through with a well-heated knife and go ahead and go all the way through the wax. This will help you create a nice, accurate bite record.