Which term refers to solid and stable contacts in appropriate positions to distribute the load?

• A. Posterior Stability
• B. Anterior Guidance
• C. Group Function
• D. Tall cusps and deep fossa

Answer: (A)

Posterior stability is the idea that the posterior teeth form solid, simultaneous contacts in the intercuspal (central) position so chewing forces are shared evenly among the posterior teeth. This steady, well-timed contact distribution helps protect the anterior teeth and the temporomandibular joint by avoiding overload on a single tooth or area. Anterior guidance, by contrast, describes how the front teeth influence movement and disocclude the back teeth during protrusion, which is about dynamic control rather than static load sharing. Group function involves multiple posterior teeth sharing load during lateral (working-side) movements, but the phrase about having stable, correctly positioned contacts to distribute load aligns most directly with posterior stability—the stable base for occlusion in centric contact. Tall cusps and deep fossae pertain to tooth morphology that can affect contacts, not the term for load-distributing contact pattern.