DENTAL EROSION - DEFINITION, CLASSIFICATION AND LINKS

An overview of tooth wear, i.e. of non-carious destructive processes a ffecting the teeth including abrasion, demastication, attrition, abfra ction, resorption and erosion is presented. The nomenclature and class ification of dental erosion commonly used in the dental literature are summarized. They are based on etiology (extrinsic, intrinsic, idiopat hic), on clinical severity (Classes I to III), on pathogenetic activit y (manifest, latent) or on localization (perimolysis). Interactions be tween erosion and abrasion, demastication, attrition, and abfraction a s well as caries and low salivary flow rate are highlighted.