A patient has an anterior open bite in which the anterior teeth do not contact. During lateral excursions, disclusion must therefore be provided by:

With an anterior open bite the incisors and canines cannot contact, so anterior/canine guidance is impossible. Lateral guidance defaults to group function, the simultaneous contact of several posterior teeth on the working side.Other options: Canine and incisal guidance require anterior contact that is absent; some teeth must contact to guide the movement.Key exam takeaway: No anterior contact (open bite) means guidance comes from posterior group function.