It was Grippo(1991) who coined the term abfraction to describe the pathological loss of enamel and dentine caused by biomechanical loading of teeth. He stated that the forces could be static, such as those produced by swallowing and clenching; or cyclic, as in those generated during chewing. He suggested that non-carious cervical abfractive lesions were caused by flexure and ultimate material fatigue of susceptible teeth at locations away from the point of loading. Grippo thought that the breakdown was dependent on the magnitude, duration, direction, frequency and location of the forces. (Grippo JO 1991 Abfraction: a new classification of hard tissue lesions of teeth. J Esth Dent, 3:14-8).
Examine the three figures given.
• Comment on the clinical picture. How would you diagnose an abfractive lesion? Can you see any in this case? If there were any, how would you treat them?
• Now examine the two SEM images. What are A, B & C? Comment on the differences between A, B & C in the two figures. What is happening here?
