Canadian Medical Guide > Diseases > Stomatognathic Diseases > Tooth Diseases > Tooth Attrition Terms and Definitions

Tooth Attrition

Medical Definition:	The wearing away of a tooth as a result of tooth-to-tooth contact, as in mastication, occurring only on the occlusal, incisal, and proximal surfaces. It is chiefly associated with aging. It is differentiated from TOOTH ABRASION (the pathologic wearing away of the tooth substance by friction, as brushing, bruxism, clenching, and other mechanical causes) and from TOOTH EROSION (the loss of substance caused by chemical action without bacterial action). (Jablonski, Dictionary of Dentistry, 1992, p86)
Guide Notes:	result of tooth-to-tooth contact as in mastication: do not confuse with TOOTH EROSION (result of chem action without bact action) or TOOTH ABRASION (loss of substance from friction like bruxism): read MeSH definitions
Previously Indexed:	Tooth Abrasion (1966-1996)

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