Toothwear Flashcards
What is the aetiology of non-carious tooth surface loss?
Trauma
Developmental Problems
Tooth wear
When does tooth wear count as pathological?
If the remaining tooth structure or pulpal health is compromised or the rate of tooth wear is in excess of what would be expected for that age
It can also be considered pathological if the patient experiences a masticatory or aesthetic deficit
What are the 4 types of tooth wear?
Attrition
Abrasion
Erosion
Abfraction
What is Attrition?
The physiological wearing away of tooth structure as a result of tooth to tooth contact
Attritive lesions are found on the occlusal and incisal contacting surfaces
Almost always related to a parafunctional habit (bruxism)
What is Abrasion?
The physical wear of tooth substance through an abnormal mechanical process independent of occlusion. It involves a foreign object or substance repeatedly contacting the area
Commonest area is labial/buccal, cervical on canine and premolar teeth
What is the commonest cause of abrasion?
Tooth brushing
What is Erosion?
The loss of tooth surface by a chemical process that does not involve bacterial action
Caused by chronic exposure of dental hard tissue to acidic substances which can be extrinsic or intrinsic
What are the characteristic feature of erosion?
Cupping of the occlusal surfaces of the molars and incisal edges of the anteriors
Typically bilateral
More common on the upper anteriors- lower incisors influx of saliva from the sublingual gland
Increased translucency of incisal edges (appear dark)
What is Abfraction?
The loss of hard tissue from eccentric occlusal forces leading to compressive and tensile stresses at the cervical fulcrum areas of the tooth
Caused by biomechanical loading forces
Forces result in flexure and failure of the enamel and dentine at a location away from the loading
What are the 2 theories of abfraction tooth wear?
Abfraction is the basic cause of all non-carious cervical lesions
Multifactorial aetiology. A combination of occlusal stress, abrasion and erosion
What is the aetiology of cervical wear?
Multifactorial
Lesions mainly in premolar and molars on the buccal surface almost never lingually
Good OH and this wear pattern go together
Likely to be combination of erosion, abrasion and abfraction
What features of medical history can contribute to tooth wear?
Medications with low pH
Medications which dry the mouth
Eating disorders
Alcoholism
Heartburn
GORD
Pregnancy
What features of social history would you investigate in tooth wear?
Lifestyle stresses e.g. Bruxism
Occupational details
Alcohol consumption
Dietary analysis
Habits
Sports
What features of past dental history would you investigate in tooth wear?
Previous patient attendance, regular or not
A non-regular poorly motivated patient is not a good candidate for complex treatment
Previous experience of treatment
Oral hygiene habit
-poor oral hygiene
-toothbrushing in abrasive wear- frequency, intensity, duration, type of toothpaste
What about the occlusion should you investigate when examining a tooth wear patient?
FWS should be assessed
Record the OVD and resting face height
Record overbite and overjet
Are there stable contacts in centric occlusion
What about the wear should you examine?
Location
-anterior/posterior
-generalised/localised
Severity
-enamel only
-into dentine
-severe
What is a BEWE?
Basic Erosive Wear Examination
What are the scores and criteria of a BEWE?
0- No erosive wear
1- Initial loss of surface texture
2- Distinct defect; hard tissue loss <50% of surface
3-Hard tissue loss >50% of the surface area
Works like a BPE
What is the immediate treatment of a patient with tooth wear?
Deal with pain
Sensitivity
-desensitising agents, fluorides, GIC coverage of exposed dentine
Pulp extirpation
-if wear has compromised pulpal health
Smooth sharp edges
-prevent trauma to cheeks and tongue
Extraction
TMJ pain
-important in attrition, acute symptoms need to be controlled
What is the initial treatment of a patient with tooth wear?
Stabilise the existing dentition
Deal with caries and perio
Institute preventative regime
What are the risk levels in a BEWE?
None - less than or equal to 2
Low - between 3 and 8
Medium - between 9-13
High - 14 and over