Occlusal trauma is a dental term that refers to the damage incurred when teeth are left in traumatic occlusion without proper treatment.

When that change is detrimental to the manner in which the teeth occlude, the patient is said to possess a traumatic occlusion.

Traumatic occlusion may cause a thickening of the cervical margin of the alveolar bone and widening of the periodontal ligament, although the latter is not pathognomonic for this condition.