Cupped lesions of early onset dental erosion in young southeast Queenslandadults

Background: Dental erosion manifests as cupped lesions on cusp apices and i n fissures of teeth in patients from southeast Queensland referred with exc essive tooth wear When found in young adults, these lesions may indicate ea rly onset of active dental erosion. If the numbers and extent of cupped les ions increase with age, erosion may be a slow cumulative process. Methods: This cross-sectional study recorded the presence or absence and th e relative sizes of cupped lesions from all cusps and occlusal fissures on premolar and permanent molar teeth from study models by image analysis. Typ e-specimens of cupped lesions were examined. Results: The Incidence by tooth reflected time in the mouth, post-tooth eme rgence. A linear increase in lesion number and size, with age, was found. H owever, cupped lesions occurred on mandibular first molar cusp apices as of ten, and attained greater extent, in adults under 27 years compared with ol der subjects. Conclusion: Marked differences were found between lesion number and size, b etween maxillary and mandibular molar sites that reflect differences in sal ivary protection against dental erosion. The significance of this study is that the mandibular first permanent molar indicates the age of onset and se verity of dental erosion.