METHODS FOR DETERMINING THE DEGREE OF ABRASIVE WEAR OF DENTAL MATERIALS

One of the main criteria for the quality of dental treatment is to obtain a long-term result. The problem of achieving such a result becomes especially acute in the treatment of such pathology as, for example, increased tooth wear, where a stable result is possible only with the use of high-strength materials resistant to abrasive wear. This article presents two methods for objectively assessing the degree of erasure of materials that can be used both to control the quality of the treatment performed and to assess the quality of new materials. Since the manifestation of abrasive wear of materials is an increase in the area of erasing facets, both methods are based on estimating changes in the area of occlusal contacts over time. The first proposed method allows us to estimate changes in the area of occlusal contacts of the teeth using digital occlusiograms. Patients underwent occlusion using the TScan III device after 1 month and 24 months after the restoration of the occlusal surfaces of all teeth of one dentition, then the area of occlusal contacts was measured. The second method allows to exclude the influence on the results of the study of such factors as the tone of the chewing muscles, the frequency and nature of the food used, the features of the occlusal relationships of the teeth, etc. To this end, the restorations from the studied material were installed on the chewing surfaces of all the teeth of the upper jaw model of the “Stand of chewing movements”. Next, wax occlusiograms were made immediately after the installation of the restorations and after 1 million chewing movements, and the area of the occlusal contacts was determined. In both cases, evaluating the change in the area of occlusal contacts, they made a conclusion about the degree of abrasive wear of the material. The use of digital and wax occlusiometry is indicative of determining the area of occlusal contacts when assessing the degree of abrasive wear of dental restorative materials.

TScan III, area of occlusal contacts, digital occlusiogram, TScan III, wax occlusiogram, abrasive wear