Maciej Zarow

Understanding the Envelope of Function - The Ultimate Goal of Orthodontic and Restorative Treatment

The understanding of the Envelope of Function represents a key element in treatment planning in orthodontics and restorative dentistry. The anterior teeth play a dominant role in establishing the functional path that the mandible can travel. This means that the position, inclination, and lingual contour of the upper anterior teeth combine to establish the anterior guidance. Furthermore, the position of the upper incisal edges is critically important in determining whether anterior guidance is in harmony with an ideal envelope of function or if it is interfering with it. Among all the mistakes that can be made in restorative or orthodontic treatment, the restriction of the envelope of function is one of the most problematic. Placing the anterior teeth in a relationship that restricts a more horizontal envelope of function is almost certain to cause excessive wear, mobility, and forced movement of the anterior teeth. During this lecture, the concepts of patient deprogramming, CR predictable registration, and determination of the envelope of function will be explained based on clinical cases.

Speaker biography

Dr. Maciej Zarow graduated from Semmelweis University in Budapest in 1995. After a three-year training programme he achieved specialisation in operative dentistry in 1999. From 1998 until 2005 he was teaching at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. There, in 2002, he defended his PhD and, in 2005, he achieved specialisation in endodontics. He defended his post-doctoral degree in Medical and Health Sciences in 2024. He is also the co-author of more than 80 papers published in Polish and international journals. Dr Zarow is the author of a book called Endo-Prosthodontics: Guidelines for Clinical Practice, published by Quintessence Publishing (2013 in Polish, 2014 in Russian, 2016 in English, 2017 in French and Croatian) and a book called “Veneers” (2020 in Polish, 2022 in English, 2024 Chinese and Spanish). In 2012-2017 he has been editor-in-chief of the Polish language dental magazine Medycyna Praktyczna - Stomatologia, and since 2020 - Polish Edition of Quintessence. A member of the Polish Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry, board member and v-ce president of European Society of Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr Zarow has lectured extensively in Poland and worldwide. Visiting Professor of Uniwersiti in Chieti (Italy) 2015-2016, lecturer of postgraduate master programs at UIC in Barelona (2012-2016), Graduate (2018) and Mentor (2021) of Kois Center. He has run a private dental clinic since 1999 and postgraduate course centre „Dentist”, since 2003, in Krakow, Poland.