A Clinical Study to Evaluate Tooth Wear and Its Score Most Commonly Prevalent among Patients Using Smith and Knight’s Index-A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

PURPOSE:

        In the field of dentistry, tooth wear has been recognized as a growing oral health problem in children, adolescents, and the elderly; Tooth wear is a normal physiologic phenomenon, where, the teeth although worn remain functional throughout life until it becomes pathological via pulpal exposure. The aim of this study is to evaluate the tooth wear and its score most commonly prevalent among patients using Smith and Knight’s index

 MATERIALS AND METHODS:

  The patients included in this survey were the dentate and partially dentate patients reporting to the department of prosthodontics at Adhiparasakthi Dental College and Hospital. All the teeth present are scored for wear according to the Smith and Knight’s index, irrespective of how it occurred. The one with the greatest occurrence is recorded.

 RESULTS:                                                           

  150 individuals were randomly selected and all the surfaces of the teeth were examined clinically and the scores were recorded.  After evaluation, results illustrate that the highest grade of tooth wear recorded was grade 2(47.5%) followed by grade 1(36.8%), grade 3(9.6%), grade 0(4.6%,) and grade 4(1.5%).

 CONCLUSION:

   There is reasonably strong evidence to suggest that tooth wear is an age-related phenomenon. The presence of dentinal hypersensitivity is found to be more common at the initial stages of tooth wear. As the severity increases, patients become more and more concerned about the condition and seek treatment.