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Tooth wear: Causes, diagnosis and prevention

9 mins read Oral health and mouth cancer
A combination of patients keeping their teeth longer due to more preventative approaches and advances in materials and techniques has led to an increase in incidence of tooth wear. This article describes the incidence, causal agents, lifestyle factors and how tooth wear can be identified and prevent

Tooth wear is a general term that describes the loss of hard tissues from the surface of teeth caused by factors other than dental caries, trauma or developmental disorders (Mehta et al. 2012). It is a normal physiological process that is incremental with age and is macroscopically irreversible. Normal vertical loss of enamel from physiological wear is approximately 0.02–0.04 mm a year (Lambrechts et al. 1989).

Tooth wear is considered excessive when it causes functional or aesthetic concerns to the patient, is disproportionate for their age or causes symptoms of discomfort. If the degree of tooth wear is so severe that it causes recurrent symptoms or presents a considerable restorative challenge then it is deemed ‘pathological’ tooth surface loss.

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