Prevalence, pattern, and severity of incisal wear in dental students

The Prevalence of Tooth Wear in an Adult Population from the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

Aim

To assess the prevalence of tooth wear in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia in an adult population and to identify potential contributing factors, such as sociodemographic factors.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included adults between 18 and 40 years, seeking routine dental care. A clinical examination using the tooth wear index (TWI) was performed. Each tooth was given a TWI score, followed by classifying participants according to different risk levels. This was followed by a self-administered questionnaire on demographic information and oral hygiene habits. Statistical analyses included univariate, bivariate, as well as multivariate to assess the risk of tooth wear in relation to possible risk factors. The tests used were odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and p-values < 0.05 to be statistically significant.

Results

The prevalence of tooth wear and dentin exposure was 83.5% and 58.8%, respectively, with the mean affected teeth of 1.3 ± 0.6 and 0.2 ± 0.2. Both gender and education level were significantly associated with tooth wear at bivariate and multivariate levels (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The prevalence of tooth wear among sampled adults in this study was high. There was a clear difference in rates of tooth wear for gender and education level. Early identification and prevention of tooth wear will help reduce signs and symptoms in later stages of life.

Estimation of the rate of tooth wear in permanent incisors: a cross-sectional digital radiographic study

This study used conventional digital radiography to estimate the rate of tooth wear (TW) of maxillary and mandibular central incisors based on a cross-sectional study design. The crown length of 1239 permanent maxillary and mandibular central incisors from 346 persons (age groups: 10, 25, 40, 55 and 70 years ± 3) were measured by three calibrated dentists. Study teeth were intact incisally, had clearly visible incisal edges and cementoenamel junctions and had natural tooth antagonists. Measures were based on digital radiographic images (N = 666) archived in MiPACS within the electronic health record (axiUm(®)) from the College of Dentistry patient database. Incisor crown length decreased at a linear rate in both arches over the 60 years represented by the age groups. The average crown length for maxillary incisors in the youngest age group was 11.94 mm, which decreased by an average of 1.01 mm by median age 70. For mandibular incisors, the average crown length in the youngest age group was 9.58 mm, which decreased by an average of 1.46 mm in the oldest age group. Males and females showed similar rates of TW. Regardless of age, females demonstrated smaller mean crown height for maxillary incisors than males (P < 0.0001). Measures by the examiners demonstrated good agreement, with an interclass correlation coefficient of 0.869 and an average intra-examiner correlation of 99.5%, based on repeated measurements (n = 100). TW was estimated to average 1.01 mm for maxillary central incisors and 1.46 mm for mandibular central incisors by age 70 years.

A novel method for volumetric assessment of tooth wear using three-dimensional reverse-engineering technology: a preliminary report

OBJECTIVE

To describe a newly developed three-dimensional (3D) digital superimposition method for quantitative evaluation of tooth wear that occurs during orthodontic treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The sample consisted of dental casts obtained from 56 patients (23 male patients and 33 female patients; mean ± standard deviation age  =  21.8 ± 5.1 years) who received orthodontic treatment with extraction of four premolars. The maxillary and mandibular dental casts taken before (T1) and after (T2) orthodontic treatments were scanned, and 3D images of the canines were constructed. The canines at T1 were superimposed with those at T2 with the best-fit method using the middle third of the labial and lingual surface as the reference area. To measure the volume of the canines, four boundary planes were constructed, and the differences in volume before and after orthodontic treatment were calculated.

RESULTS

The mean volume of tooth wear of the 224 canines was 2.0 mm(3) after 35.5 months of orthodontic treatment. The volume of canine tooth wear was 2.3 ± 1.5 mm(3) in male subjects and 1.9 ± 1.2 mm(3) in female subjects. The mean wear of the upper right canines (2.4 ± 2.0 mm(3)) was significantly greater than that of the lower right canines (1.9 ± 2.6 mm(3)).

CONCLUSIONS

Regional registration of teeth in 3D digital models is useful for quantitative evaluation of tooth wear in orthodontic patients. This method may also be used to assess treatment results in restorative dentistry.

Dentoalveolar development in subjects with normal occlusion. A longitudinal study between the ages of 5 and 31 years

The aim of the present study was to examine dentoalveolar development in subjects with an 'ideal' (normal) occlusion. The material comprised 436 study casts of 189 male and 247 female subjects of Swedish origin between the ages of 5 and 31 years with no history of orthodontic treatment. Tooth width, and arch length, width, and depth, as well as palatal height were measured. The data were analysed with a Student's t-test. The results verified that continuous changes of the dental arches occur from the primary until the adult period, with individual variations. This change could be interpreted as a biological migration of the dentition, resulting in anterior crowding especially in the mandible, even in subjects with congenitally missing third molars. The occlusion should be regarded as a dynamic rather than a stable interrelationship between facial structures. This natural development has to be considered in orthodontic treatment planning as well as in assessment of stability following orthodontic treatment. A continuous increase of palatal height up to adulthood seems to be an effect of a slow continuous eruption of the teeth. This finding is also of significance in explaining the infraposition of implant-supported crowns.

The development of a new index for measurement of incisal/occlusal tooth wear

A number of indices have been developed for the measurement of tooth surface loss but they have not achieved universal acceptance. The aim of this study was to develop a new index suitable for the monitoring of incisal/occlusal tooth wear on serial study models. The new index recorded incisal/cuspal wear for individual teeth. Each tooth was scored on a six-point scale ranging from 0-5. Six assessors evaluated the index and it was applied to baseline and sequential models taken after 20 years. The study demonstrated the value of maintaining long-term dental records in the form of study models for monitoring progressive tooth wear.

A 2-year follow-up study of incisal tooth wear in dental students

This report was derived from cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of prevalence, pattern, and severity of incisal wear in 64 dental students who had virtually complete dentitions at the first examination and unchanged dentitions at the re-examination. They were first examined in 1991 and re-examined after 24 months in 1993. The average age of the students in 1991 was 23 +/- 1.7 years. Assessment of incisal wear was made on stone casts based on silicone impression material in accordance with the Incisal wear Index (IwI). The results showed that the prevalence of incisal wear had not changed during the observation period. The severity of incisal wear for maxillary and mandibular central and lateral incisors had remained essentially the same, whereas the severity of wear of maxillary and mandibular canines had increased during the observation period. There was no statistically significant relationship between age and IwI. The wear pattern found for anterior teeth is discussed in relation to the cuspid protection and the group function theories of occlusion.

Longitudinal study of incisal tooth wear in children and adolescents

This report was derived from a longitudinal study of the development and progress of incisal tooth wear in children and adolescents. The study group was established in 1991/1992 and consisted of 79 participants between 8 and 15 yr. They were reexamined in 1993 and the time span between the first and second examination was 12-14 months. Assessment of incisal wear was made on stone casts based on silicone impression material according to the Incisal wear Index (IwI). The index used was shown to have good reproducibility. The results showed that the pattern of incisal wear had been maintained during the observation period. Prevalence and severity of incisal wear had increased significantly with age. The strength of the suggested linear relationship between age and incisal wear decreased during the observation period. At the same time the growth increments of wear, delta IwI, were negatively correlated with age, indicating that the progression of incisal wear slowed down with increasing age. Description of the true relationship between age and incisal wear outside the age range represented in the sample must await the results of forthcoming studies.