Mastering Occlusion: A Guide for Oral Surgeons on Implant Crown Success (feat. Dr. Vic Martel) Artwork

Everyday Oral Surgery

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Everyday Oral Surgery

Mastering Occlusion: A Guide for Oral Surgeons on Implant Crown Success (feat. Dr. Vic Martel)

January 26, 2026 • Grant Stucki - oral and maxillofacial surgeon • Episode 343

Implant placement is one thing, but making sure those implants survive years of chewing forces is another. In this episode, Dr. Grant Stucki welcomes back Florida general dentist Dr. Vic Martel to dive deep into occlusion from an implant perspective. In today’s conversation, Dr. Martel explains why implant occlusion is often even more critical than occlusion on natural teeth, how uneven load sharing leads to problems like loose screws, chipped porcelain, bone loss, and even loss of integration, and why surgeons are ultimately at the mercy of their restoring dentists’ occlusal skills. He discusses practical guidelines for single posterior implants, angled implants in full-arch cases, maxillary second molars, anterior implants, and zirconia hybrids, as well as how to check occlusion correctly in centric, excursions, and with the patient both reclined and upright. Dr. Martel also shares how to manage bruxers, when to splint restorations, why screws need to be replaced after loosening, and ways frequent maintenance and clear patient instructions can prevent many complications before they start. Tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:

How Dr. Martel defines occlusion as “load sharing” in the context of implant dentistry.
Why occlusion is critical for natural teeth and how uneven load sharing leads to failures.
Hear how to set occlusion for an implant using shim stock in normal closure and clench.
Explore how to manage axial and non-axial loading on angled implants in full-arch cases.
Steps for checking occlusion and why screw-retained restorations have become his standard.
Discover common reasons for loose screws and why the screw often needs to be replaced.
Steps for navigating microtrauma on implants, patients who brux, and splint restorations.
Typical reasons why certain implants fail and guidelines for anterior implant occlusion.
Find out how to distribute forces across implant-supported anterior bridges to avoid load.
Unpack how the shift from acrylic hybrids to zirconia has changed occlusal schemes.
Learn about the complications from occlusion and why it should be checked frequently.
What to tell patients about soreness, looseness, night guards, and regular maintenance.
Dr. Martel’s final takeaways for preventing occlusion-related implant problems.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Dr. Victor Martel on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-martel-dmd-fagd-91431922/

Dr. Victor Martel on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/drvicmartel/

Dr. Victor Martel Email Address — vicmartel@gmail.com

Dr. Victor Martel Phone Number — 561 602 7222

Martel Academy — https://martelacademy.com/

Everyday Oral Surgery Website — https://www.everydayoralsurgery.com/

Everyday Oral Surgery on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/everydayoralsurgery/

Everyday Oral Surgery on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/EverydayOralSurgery/

Dr. Grant Stucki Email — grantstucki@gmail.com

Dr. Grant Stucki Phone — 720-441-6059