title: Exaggerated abrasion/erosion of human dental enamel surfaces: a case report.
abstract: An atypical, rapidly proceeding abrasion/erosion of the labial enamel surfaces of the maxillary and mandibular incisors and canines in a 27-yr-old man is reported. Ultrastructural examination of a replica of the teeth showed a practically structureless enamel surface both at the initial examination and after 12 months. However, at the end of the period, minor areas of dentin tubules became visible, indicating that a substantial loss of the tooth substance had taken place. The patient's occupation involved daily environmental contact with proteolytic enzymes. In vitro study of enamel exposed to one of the actual proteolytic enzymes showed dissolution of enamel substance, and it cannot be excluded that enzymatic decomposition of the organic enamel matrix is a contributing cause of the observed exaggerated loss of tooth substance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Westergaard
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moe
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pallesen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Holmen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013381:Subtilisins / Q000009:adverse effects; D014072:Tooth Abrasion / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014077:Tooth Erosion / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D013381:Subtilisins