Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Clinical
  • Published:

Indications for the use of direct composite restorations in the management of tooth wear

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of tooth surface loss has been widely reported. Patients present with varying degrees of tooth wear and consideration is given to whether a prevention and monitoring approach, or a treatment and restoration approach, is appropriate. A missed diagnosis or excessively prolonged monitoring risks progression to the detriment of a successful outcome, with the potential compromise on the quality and quantity of tooth structure available for predictable adhesive dentistry. Direct composite resin (DCR) restorations can be considered as a viable treatment option for all extents of tooth wear, including cases that have progressed to a severe degree. This paper aims to review the indications for DCR restorations in the management of tooth wear, using clinical cases to demonstrate their effectiveness.

Key points

  • There is ever-growing evidence behind the effectiveness of the use of direct composite resin (DCR) restorations for the management of all types of wear, seen as performance survival.

  • DCR can be used for the treatment of tooth wear, by protecting underlying tooth structure and restoring form and function.

  • The treatment can usually be considered as non-invasive and can be applied to all levels of severity of wear progression, particularly moderate and severe cases.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. NHS Digital. Children's Dental Heath Survey 2013. Report 2: Dental Disease and Damage in Children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. 2015. Available at https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/children-s-dental-health-survey/child-dental-health-survey-2013-england-wales-and-northern-ireland (accessed February 2023).

  2. White D A, Tsakos G, Pitts N B et al. Adult Dental Health Survey 2009: common oral health conditions and their impact on the population. Br Dent J 2012; 213: 567-572.

  3. Järvinen V K, Rytomaa I I, Heinoman O P. Risk factors in dental erosion. J Dent Res 1991; 70: 942-947.

  4. Lussi A. Erosive tooth wear - a multifactorial condition of growing concern and increasing knowledge. Monogr Oral Sci 2006; 20: 1-8.

  5. Mehta S B, Banerji S, Millar B J, Suarez-Feito J-M. Current concepts on the management of tooth wear: part 4. An overview of the restorative techniques and dental materials commonly applied for the management of tooth wear. Br Dent J 2012; 212: 169-177.

  6. Muts E J, van Pelt H, Edelhoff D, Krejci I, Cune M. Tooth wear: a systematic review of treatment options. J Prosthet Dent 2014; 112: 752-759.

  7. Mesko M E, Sarkis-Onofre R, Cenci M S, Opdam N J, Loomans B, Pereira-Cenci T. Rehabilitation of severely worn teeth: A systematic review. J Dent 2016; 48: 9-15.

  8. Loomans B, Opdam N, Attin T et al. Severe Tooth Wear: European Consensus Statement on Management Guidelines. J Adhes Dent 2017; 19: 111-119.

  9. Milosevic A, Burnside G. The survival of direct composite restorations in the management of severe tooth wear including attrition and erosion: A prospective 8-year study. J Dent 2016; 44: 13-19.

  10. Mehta S B, Bronkhorst E M, Lima V P et al. Theeffect of pre-treatment levels of tooth wear and the applied increase in the vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO) on the survival of direct resin composite restorations. J Dent 2021; 111: 103712.

  11. Kassardjian V, Andiappan M, Creugers N H J, Bartlett D. A systematic review of interventions after restoring the occluding surfaces of anterior and posterior teeth that are affected by tooth wear with filled resin composites. J Dent 2020; 99: 103388.

  12. Mehta S B, Lima V P, Bronkhorst E M et al. Clinical performance of direct composite resin restorations in a full mouth rehabilitation for patients with severe tooth wear: 5.5-year results. J Dent 2021; 112: 103743.

  13. Kilpatrick N, Mahoney E. Dental erosion: part 2. The management of dental erosion. N Z Dent J 2004; 100: 42-47.

  14. Patel J, Baker S R. Is toothwear associated with oral health related quality of life in adults in the UK? Community Dent Health 2020; 37: 174-179.

  15. Wiegand A, Lechte C, Kanzow P. Adhesion to eroded enamel and dentin: systematic review and meta-analysis. Dent Mater 2021; 37: 1845-1853.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

Amin Aminian is the main author, with support and contribution from A. Johanna Leven and Martin Ashley. All three authors contributed to the concept, the design, the writing and the editing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amin Aminian.

Ethics declarations

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Aminian, A., Leven, A. & Ashley, M. Indications for the use of direct composite restorations in the management of tooth wear. Br Dent J 234, 395–399 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-023-5676-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-023-5676-1

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links