Occlusion is the scientific term for how your teeth come together.  Each tooth has a specific job when it comes to function, but it also has a specific shape so that our jaws may close together with comfort.  Our front teeth are more slender and sharp and are used for shearing/tearing food, but typically only lightly touch when we bite down.  Our back teeth however are more robust and function to grind up food. These teeth normally all touch upon closing.  The goal of each dental procedure is to maintain the occlusion of the patient, while also creating the most ideal situation for stable occlusion on both sides of the mouth.