Abfraction is caused by

 # A patient had a non carious lesion on the lower premolar and was diagnosed as abfraction. Abfraction is caused by:

A. Excess intake of aerated drinks

B. Excessive forces during brushing

C. Flexure of the tooth from occlusal trauma

D. Leaching of 30% hydrogen peroxide during walking bleach

The correct answer is C. Flexure of the tooth from occlusal trauma.

The loss of tooth structure in the cervical areas (abrasion) is commonly seen as a rounded notch in the gingival portion of the facial aspects of teeth. In contrast to cervical lesions that develop from abrasion processes, idiopathic erosion lesions (“abfractions”) are cervical, wedge-shaped defects (angular as opposed to rounded) similar to the defects customarily associated with abrasion but in which one of the possible causative factors may include excessive flexure of the tooth as a result of heavy, eccentric occlusal forces.  

Ref: Sturdevant’s Art and Science of Operative Dentistry, 7th Edition, Page no 106

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