In lateral excursive movement, which side is the working side?

In lateral excursive movement, which side is the working side?

• A. The side toward which the mandible moves.
• B. The opposite side.
• C. The side with no contact.
• D. The anterior side.

Answer: (A)

In lateral excursive movement, the working side is the side toward which the mandible moves. This is the direction the jaw travels, and the muscles on that side guide and power the movement while producing occlusal contacts that help steer the mandible. The opposite side is the balancing side, which often has little to no posterior contact to allow the a-side movement to occur. The term anterior side isn’t a standard descriptor for this movement, so it doesn’t define the working side.

In lateral excursive movement, the working side is the side toward which the mandible moves. This is the direction the jaw travels, and the muscles on that side guide and power the movement while producing occlusal contacts that help steer the mandible. The opposite side is the balancing side, which often has little to no posterior contact to allow the a-side movement to occur. The term anterior side isn’t a standard descriptor for this movement, so it doesn’t define the working side.