Lucia Jig

Background: The Lucia Jig is an occlusal appliance named after Dr. A. F. Lucia, who first introduced the concept in the 1960s. It's a small, anterior bite plane used primarily to deprogram the masticatory muscles and help in determining the centric relation (CR) position of the mandible. Purpose: Muscle Deprogramming: The Lucia Jig aids in temporarily deprogramming the masticatory muscles by preventing the posterior teeth from making contact. By doing so, it minimizes the influence of any deflective contacts and learned muscle engrams that may prevent the mandible from seating fully in its anatomically most superior position. Centric Relation Recording: Once the muscles are deprogrammed, the Lucia Jig facilitates the capture of accurate centric relation records, which is crucial for various prosthodontic and orthodontic treatments.