Final answer:
A step in dental occlusion on the right side suggests a fracture on that side of the maxillary or mandibular bone. This could affect the condylar process or another region affecting tooth alignment. An x-ray would be utilized to identify the exact location.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question involves determining the location of a fracture in the teeth based on a description of dental occlusion. Given that the left side shows normal occlusion and the right side shows a step, it's likely that the fracture is located on the right side of the maxilla or mandible, where the teeth are not aligning correctly. This discrepancy in occlusion could indicate a broken maxillary bone, which supports the upper teeth or a fracture in the isolated mandible, the single moveable bone of the skull.
According to the provided information, if we were looking at an x-ray image, such as mentioned in the reference to Figure 30.22 in an x-ray revealing fillings in a person's teeth, we might see a clear line or discontinuity in the bone. Considering the anatomy, the mandible has a condylar process that articulates with the rest of the skull allowing movement. A step in occlusion could infer that the fracture is either at the condylar process or another location on the mandible that would affect the alignment of the teeth.
Additionally, the coronal suture, which unites the frontal bone to the right and left parietal bones across the top of the skull, may also play a role in the overall occlusion and integrity of the jaw's structure but is less likely to be directly related to a single step discrepancy in dental occlusion unless there is significant associated trauma.