During feeding in mammals, the breakdown of food is facilitated by occlusion between upper and lower postcanine teeth. Constant monitoring of bolus positioning and reduction is essential to creating a swallowable bolus and protecting the teeth from damage and excessive wear. Sensory nerves of the oral cavity, including the alveolar and lingual nerves, supplying the teeth and tongue, respectively, play a role in bolus monitoring to adjust movements of the jaw during, particularly the occlusal phase of chewing, when cuspal interactions also assist with guiding movements. Here, we compare the kinematics of occlusion during chewing using XROMM in rabbits (N=3) before and after combined superior and inferior alveolar and lingual nerve blocks. The nerve blocks are hypothesized to reduce the duration of occlusion and to alter the spatial dynamics of the movements of the lower teeth relative to the upper teeth. Occlusion duration (as a % of total cycle duration) increased and was twice as variable after treatment (control: mean = 33.0, CV = 18.7; treatment: mean = 41.3, CV = 34.7; p < 0.01). The kinematic measurements of occlusal displacements indicate that movements in the mesio-distal plane are smaller after treatment (control: mean = 1.29, CV = 35.8; treatment: mean = 1.21, CV = 34.8; p = 0.0026). Displacements in the buccolingual plane is larger after treatment (control: mean = 2.74, CV = 28.8; treatment: mean = 2.83, CV = 37; p<0.0001). Altered occlusal dynamics in association with the nerve block provide further support for the role of oral afferents in facilitating occlusal interactions during chewing.