title: A model for the prediction of tooth wear in individuals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Easily applied, age-specific standards are useful in assisting clinicians to decide whether the extent of tooth wear observed in a given patient at a specific age is acceptable or whether intervention is indicated.
  
  
  METHODS
  A simple method of scoring tooth wear and previously established mathematical relationships between tooth wear scores and age, provide the basis of a method for predicting tooth wear scores. In its most specific form, the method can be used to predict tooth wear scores for individual patients at subsequent ages. Alternatively, tables or graphs can be consulted to provide a less precise prediction of tooth wear that can assist clinicians to decide whether the amount of wear reflects high, moderate or low rates of wear at the specified age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In cases where there is no reason to believe that aetiological factors have changed significantly over time, data obtained from the methods described can assist clinicians to plan appropriate management for patients presenting with unacceptable levels of tooth wear.
authors.affiliation: Dental School, The University of Adelaide, South Australia. lindsay.richards@adelaide.edu.au
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kaidonis
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Townsend
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014072:Tooth Abrasion / Q000473:pathology*; D019217:Tooth Attrition / Q000473:pathology*; D014077:Tooth Erosion / Q000473:pathology*