Abfraction

Clinical presentation of abfraction non-carious tooth tissue lesions on the cervical margins of upper left canine and premolar

Abfraction is a theoretical concept explaining a loss of tooth structure not caused by tooth decay (non-carious cervical lesions). It is suggested that these lesions are caused by forces placed on the teeth during biting, eating, chewing and grinding; the enamel, especially at the cementoenamel junction (CEJ), undergoes large amounts of stress, causing micro fractures and tooth tissue loss. Abfraction appears to be a modern condition, with examples of non-carious cervical lesions in the archaeological record typically caused by other factors.[1]

  1. ^ Towle, Ian; Irish, Joel D.; Elliott, Marina; De Groote, Isabelle (2018). "Root grooves on two adjacent anterior teeth of Australopithecus africanus" (PDF). International Journal of Paleopathology. 22: 163–167. doi:10.1016/j.ijpp.2018.02.004. PMID 30126662. Retrieved 2019-01-09.