| Summary: | Background: Through the years the dental profession has held a variety of theories about the causes of abfractions, including chemical wasting of the teeth, the effects of tooth brushing, and lateral forces. Acidic and abrasive mechanisms have been well documented as an etiologic factor but the stress theory remains controversial. Materials and Methods: In this study using a three-dimensional finite element model (FEM) of a maxillary central incisor with its supporting structures the normal compressive stress occurring in the tooth is plotted for a normal occlusal load of 24 kgs at an angle of 50° to the long axis of the tooth. Results: The results showed an increased stress concentration at the cervical region, which may be susceptible to cracking that, could eventually contribute to the development of cervical lesion (abfraction). Conclusion: The results of the study demonstrate higher stress values in the cervical region of the tooth for normal occlusal load. The cumulative effect of these stresses would result in abfraction as the age advances along with other wasting diseases of teeth.
|
|---|