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ATTRITION
/ ABBARATION / ERROSION
ATTRITION:
It is the physiological wearing away of tooth due to tooth-to-tooth
contact. This happens due to the force of mastication and is associated
with the aging process, hence it increases with increasing age.
It is more pronounced in men as compared to women probably as a
result of greater strength used during mastication.
Other factors that may contribute to attrition
are:
1) Weak tooth structure (as in amelogenisis imperfecta or
Dentogenesis Imperfecta).
(2) Due to some habit like bruxism.
(3) Coarse diet.
(4) Tobacco chewing habit.
(5) Working in a environment where coarse dust gets into
the mouth.
Usually when the rate of attrition is low the
loss of tooth structure is compensated by formation of secondary
dentin. (It is the new deposition of dentin in the pulp.) there
by maintaining proper distance between the pulp and oral cavity.
TREATMENT:
All this three conditions can lead to sensitivity . And can be treated
with :
1. Desensitizing paste( to reduce or cure sensitivity ).
2. Restoration : a) Filling b) Crown. Restorations help to reduce
sensitivity and also prevent further loss of tooth structure
3. Correction or prevention of the factor that is responsible
ABBARATION:
As opposed to attrition this is the pathological wearing away of
tooth structure due to mechanical force. The most common cause is
perhaps the injudicious use of toothbrush, specially if the brushing
strokes are horizontal instead of vertical. Toothpaste or Toothpowder
that are coarse (bigger particle size) can cause faster wearing
away of tooth structure.
Other factors like hardness of bristle, use
of excessive force during brushing, duration of brushing may also
influence the rate of abbration. In this type of abbaration a 'V'
shaped notch is formed in the tooth at the cementoenamel junction
(close to gum line).
Other causes of abbaration are habits like:
(1) Holding of various objects like those done by carpenters, tailors,
cobblers etc.
(2) Habit of opening bobby pins with teeth.
(3) Nail biting (the grit trapped in nails causes abbaration. Etc).
In this case also there is formation of secondary
dentin to protect the pulp. There may be complain of sensitivity
due to excessive wearing away of tooth structure.
TREATMENT:
Same as in attrition / errosion
ERROSION:
It is loss of tooth structure due to effect of chemical. Even though
in most of the cases the cause may not be known, there are some
recognized causes which are known to contribute like: chronic vomiting
or habitual sucking of acidic citrus fruits or lemon, or drinking
of large quantities of acidic carbonated juices. A patient of anorexia
nervosa suffers from this since chronic vomiting is a known feature
of this disease. It is also found in workers who work with acids
like those in battery manufacturing, plating, galvanizing, crystal
glasswork etc.
TREATMENT:
Same as in attrition / abbaration
ATTRITION / ABBARATION
/ ERROSION
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