title: Biocorrosion vs. erosion: the 21st century and a time to change.
abstract: The author's objective is to precisely define the term "erosion" as a physical mechanism and to establish the mechanism of biocorrosion in the lexicon of dental terms. Using the prefix "bio" before corrosion differentiates it from corrosion, because it designates the chemical, biochemical, and electrochemical actions on enamel and dentin. Biocorrosion encompasses endogenous and exogenous acidic and proteolytic chemical degradation of enamel and dentin, as well as the piezoelectric electrochemical action on the collagen in dentin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Western New England University, Springfield, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: John O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Grippo
mesh_terms: D001671:Biochemistry; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003343:Corrosion; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000503:physiopathology; D004563:Electrochemistry; D006801:Humans; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014077:Tooth Erosion / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology