Dental abfractions are lesions that are located on the neck or the cervical region of the teeth and maybe related to loss of the bone structure and receding gums. There are many factors that are currently believed to play a part in the development of dental abfractions. Principally these are found in cases where there are excessive torquing forces applied on teeth of one dental arch by teeth present in the opposing arch. According to dentists in Houston and most others Some people attribute the development of dental abfractions to excessive force used while brushing.
Dental abfractions are manifested as v-shaped notches or cracks in the neck region of the teeth. One can see these abfraction lesions by pointing a torch on the teeth and looking at their reflection in a mirror. Continuous pressure applied on the teeth over a long period of time leads to the formation of these cracks. Dental abfractions are more common in middle aged or elderly people who grind their teeth a lot. These are found mostly on the posterior teeth but may occur at times in the anterior teeth as well.
The patient who comes to a clinic usually complains of sensitivity problems on eating anything hot or cold due to exposure of the dentin. The dentist would diagnose the cracks during the examination of the oral cavity. These lesions or cracks are irreversible in nature and do not undergo healing. Patients who are suffering from dental abfractions due to grinding of teeth maybe advised by their dentist to wear a night guard appliance which works to decrease the force applied on the opposing teeth.
If the sensitivity problem is not too severe then there is not much treatment that needs to be done. The dental abfractions can be treated by restoring the affected area using a composite material or using a dental cement. Severe dental abfractions may weaken the teeth so it is always best to get the affected teeth restored.
Dental abfractions are not a very serious problem and in many cases do not even need to be treated so you do not need to rush to your dentist in an emergency. You can always put up your sensitivity problems in front of your dentist during your regular check-up visit unless the sensitivity is not troubling you too much. You should not confuse your abfraction problems with tooth fractures as you would feel a lot of pain in those situations.