Attrition: aging of tooth shape, interdental spacing and its meanings

Alberto Consolaro, Leda Francischone, Renata Bianco Consolaro

Attrition may explain some of the alterations that occur after months or years of rehabilitation treatment, since it causes changes in shape and mesiodistal and occlusal-apical size of dental crowns, changing their position and relationship with dental implants. Dental attrition may: 1) represent a sign of occlusal maladjustment; 2) suggest the existence of parafunctional habits such as clenching and bruxism; 3) reduce the circumference of the dental arch because the proximal dental contact points turn into wear facets over the years; 4) age the mouth due to some morphological details that vary with age, namely: absence of serration caused by smoothing of the incisal edge until the dentin appears and a dark yellow line can be seen between the buccal and the incisal enamel of incisors and canines; 5) worsen aging caused by dental crowding; 6) aggravate aging by causing loss of facial vertical dimension; 7) be associated with diastemata between osseointegrated implants and natural teeth a few years after rehabilitation treatment is finished.

Keywords: Tooth wear. Demastication.

How to cite: Consolaro A, Francischone L, Consolaro RB. Attrition: aging of tooth shape, interdental spacing and its meanings. Dental Press Implantol. 2013 Apr-June;7(2):28-38.

Saturday, November 23, 2024 06:02