The role of occlusal loading in the pathogenesis of non-carious cervical lesions.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the putative role of occlusal loading in the pathogenesis of non-carious cervical lesions (NCCLs) in subjects who exhibited mixed excursive guidance [i.e., immediate canine guidance on one side and group function (GF) on the other].


METHODS
20 subjects with Angle Class 1 occlusion and having from 1 to 5 NCCLs on separate teeth were selected. Only subjects who displayed mixed excursive guidance were recruited so that they could serve as their own controls. Non-carious cervical lesions were recorded on casts mounted in semi-adjustable articulators.


RESULTS
On the GF sides, 22.5% of all teeth that contacted in working excursions exhibited NCCLs; only 2.1% of the teeth on the canine guided sides exhibited NCCLs, which were found exclusively in canines. Although a case for the multifactorial etiology of NCCLs remains strong, our data, albeit limited, seems to support the dominant role of occlusion in lesion formation.
Section of Prosthodontics, College of Dental Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Health Professions Division, 3200 South University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33328, USA. antonell@nova.edu
John R
JR
Antonelli
Timothy L
TL
Hottel
Robert
R
Brandt
Mark
M
Scarbecz
Tejas
T
Patel
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003731:Dental Caries; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019237:Tooth Cervix / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult