Method for constructing tooth surfaces of a dental prosthesis, as well as for producing dental restorations, based upon a 3-D data set of a maxilla situation and a 3-D data set of a mandible situation, each with multiple teeth (5, 6) arranged in the respective jaw arch, wherein, with intercuspation, the teeth of the maxilla situation and the teeth of the mandible situation exhibit a multipoint contact with numerous contact points, wherein the association is effected by a contact optimization, in that - a common occlusal direction is automatically determined from the 3-D data set of the maxilla situation and the 3-D data set of the mandible situation, - wherein the position of the teeth in the jaw arch is automatically determined in the 3-D data set of the maxilla situation and in the 3-D data set of the mandible situation, - wherein at least approximately opposing surface elements (7, 8, 9, 21-28) on at least one side are automatically identified as expected using the position of the teeth in the jaw arch, and - wherein those surface elements that are to come into contact are approximately selected by the user and/or automatically on at least one side of the opposing surface elements; - wherein those surface elements that are to come into contact are approximately selected by the user and/or automatically on the other side of the opposing surface elements; - wherein regions that are present on both sides of the opposing surface elements are excised and form surface pairs (11, 12), - wherein only the excised surface pairs are minimized, by means of an optimization algorithm, at a distance from one another, wherein - the optimized association of the surface pairs is transferred to the complete 3-D data set of the maxilla situation and to the complete 3-D data set of the mandible situation, and - wherein the construction of tooth surfaces of a dental prosthesis, as well as for production of dental restorations, is effected using such associated 3-D data sets. - a common occlusal direction is automatically determined from the 3-D data set of the maxilla situation and the 3-D data set of the mandible situation, - wherein the position of the teeth in the jaw arch is automatically determined in the 3-D data set of the maxilla situation and in the 3-D data set of the mandible situation, - wherein at least approximately opposing surface elements (7, 8, 9, 21-28) on at least one side are automatically identified as expected using the position of the teeth in the jaw arch, and - wherein those surface elements that are to come into contact are approximately selected by the user and/or automatically on at least one side of the opposing surface elements; - wherein those surface elements that are to come into contact are approximately selected by the user and/or automatically on the other side of the opposing surface elements; - wherein regions that are present on both sides of the opposing surface elements are excised and form surface pairs (11, 12), - wherein only the excised surface pairs are minimized, by means of an optimization algorithm, at a distance from one another, wherein - the optimized association of the surface pairs is transferred to the complete 3-D data set of the maxilla situation and to the complete 3-D data set of the mandible situation, and - wherein the construction of tooth surfaces of a dental prosthesis, as well as for production of dental restorations, is effected using such associated 3-D data sets.