Relationship between balancing-side occlusal contact patterns and temporomandibular joint sounds in humans: proposition of the concept of balancing-side protection.

Balancing-side contact patterns and temporomandibular joint sounds were evaluated in 430 young adults. Correlational analysis revealed that there was a highly significant positive correlation between the absence of balancing-side contacts and an increasing prevalence of joint sounds with age (r = 0.975). These data support the hypothesis that certain types of balancing-side contacts may be protective of the temporomandibular joint.