Dental cervical lesions associated with occlusal erosion and attrition

Acid demineralization of teeth causes occlusal erosion and attrition, and s hallow and wedge-shaped cervical lesions putatively involving abfraction. F rom 250 patients with tooth wear, 122 with cervical lesions were identified . From epoxy resin replicas of their dentitions, associations of occlusal a ttrition or erosion or no wear with cervical lesions were recorded at 24 to oth sites (total 2928 sites), criteria used to discriminate occlusal attrit ion From erosion, and shallow from grooved, wedge-shaped or restored cervic al lesions were delineated by scanning electron microscopy. A 96 per cent a ssociation was found between occlusal and cervical pathology Shallow cervic al lesions were more commonly found in association with occlusal erosion. W edge-shaped lesions were found equally commonly in association with occlusa l erosion, as with attrition. Grooved and restored cervical lesions were un common. Differences were appreciated in the associations within incisor, ca nine, premolar and molar tooth sites which related more to the site-specifi city of dental erosion than to attrition from occlusal forces. Non-carious lesions on teeth then have multifactorial aetiology and pathogenesis in whi ch erosion and salivary protection play central roles. Dentists should prim arily consider erosion in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of tooth wear.