Clinical significance of immediate mandibular lateral translation: A systematic review

Statement of problem. Immediate mandibular lateral translation (IMLT) has been widely described in theory, but its clinical significance in prosthodontics and restorative dentistry is not clear. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the existing literature to identify the clinical significance of IMLT (immediate side shift). Material and methods. An electronic search for articles in the English language literature was performed independently by multiple investigators using a systematic search process with the PubMed search engine. After applying predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, the final list of studies was analyzed to identify the clinical significance of IMLT. Results. The initial electronic search yielded 858 titles. The systematic application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria eventually produced 23 studies addressing IMLT in 914 human participants. Eleven studies reported use of voluntary movements, 5 articles reported use of only induced movements, 2 studies reported use of both voluntary and induced movements, and 5 articles did not report the recording method. The amount of IMLT reported ranged from 0 to 3 mm with minimal clarity among authors on the exact description of IMLT. No studies reported on any clinical implication (harm or benefit to patients or clinicians) of incorporating IMLT in diagnosis and treatment planning. Conclusions. This systematic review did not identify any scientific evidence on the clinical implications of IMLT. Furthermore, there is a lack of clear terminology related to IMLT and the timing of the side shift, occurrence of IMLT on the working versus nonworking condyle, and induced versus noninduced methods of recording and measuring. Current scientific evidence does not support the need to include IMLT as a factor when prosthodontic or restorative treatment is planned and executed.