The erosive susceptibility of cervical versus occlusal enamel

Clinical studies have strongly suggested a multifactorial aetiology for abfraction lesions or non-carious cervical tooth loss, with a contribution from erosive agents. Structural studies have shown that cervical enamel is more porous with a poorly developed crystal structure that may be more prone to erosion. The aim of this study was to examine the susceptibility to erosion of cervical and occlusal enamel from human premolar and molar teeth. Small blocks of cervical and cuspal enamel were immersed in either orange juice or Coca-Cola and the surface enamel loss was measured using profilometry. The enamel loss was essentially linear at a rate of 2.2-8.8 microns/hr. It was concluded that there was little difference in the susceptibility to erosion between cervical and cuspal enamel, even when the surface hypermineralised layer was removed.