Occlusion

"In actual practice, the term occlusion has come to include the alignment of the teeth in the opposing dental arches, the relationship of the upper and lower arches to each other, as well as the positioning of individual teeth. When the opposing occlusal surfaces meet in centric occlusion, the forces generated by the muscles of mastication are distributed over a large area of alveolar bone..." (Speech and Hearing Science: Anatomy and Physiology, p. 248)