Occlusal equilibration can be likened to a pebble in your shoe. When there is an irritant present (the pebble), your foot automatically adapts to the pebble -- e.g. you may walk with a limp. With malocclusion, an existing interference (as with a tooth too high for comfort), the jaw also adapts to the particular uncomfortable tooth fit. During equilibration, the irritant (too high of a tooth) is reshaped for a better fit.