4 - Wear Flashcards
What is defined as tooth surface loss?
- caries
- trauma
- developmental problems
- tooth wear
What is physiological tooth wear?
- normal process that increases with age
- estimated normal tooth wear is 20-38um a year
What is pathological tooth wear?
- remaining tooth structure and pulpal health is compromised
- tooth wear that is in excess of what wold be expected for the age of the patient
What are the different types of tooth wear?
- attrition
- abrasion
- erosion
- abfraction
Define attrition.
Physiological wearing away of tooth structure as a result of a tooth to tooth contact
Describe how attrition presents.
- lesions are on the occlusal and incisal surfaces
- early appearance as a polished facet on cusp or slight flattening of incisal edge
- progression leads to reduction in cusp height and flattening of occlsual incisal planes
- anterior crown height is reduced
- restorations wear at the same rate as tooth tissue
- wide lateral excursion
What causes attrition?
Parafunction and bruxism
Define abrasion.
Physical wear of tooth substance through abnormal mechanical process independent of occlusion. It involves a foreign object or substance repeatedly contacting the tooth.
Describe how abrasion presents.
- site and pattern of tooth loss is related to abrasive element
- most common area is labial/buccal and cervical
- v shaped or rounded lesions
- sharp margin at enamel where dentine is worn away preferentially
What causes abrasion?
- tooth brushing
- habits including holding items between the teeth (pins, pipe, fishing line, thread)
- cracking nuts with the teeth
What impact does vaping have on abrasion?
- holding the vape between the teeth can cause abrasion
- the vape liquid is acidic so speeds up the process
Define erosion.
Loss of tooth surface by a chemical process that does not involved bacterial action.
What is the most common type of tooth wear?
Erosion
Describe how erosion presents.
- early stages the outer enamel surface detail is lost
- bilateral concave lesions that are shiny (unlikely chalky carious lesions)
- as progresses, dentine is exposed and is preferentially eroded leading to cupping of occlusal surfaces and incisal edges of anteriors, base of lesion does not contact opposing arch
- restorations do not dissolve
- no staining
What causes erosion?
- acidic drinks (also - alcohol)
- eating disorders
- medications (low pH or xerostomia)
- GORD
- rumination
- pregnancy
Define abfraction.
Loss of hard tissue from eccentric occlusal forces leading to compressive and tensile stresses at the cervical fulcrum areas of the tooth