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Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Mimicking and Measuring Occlusal Erosive Tooth Wear with the "Rub&Roll" and Non-contact Profilometry
Published on: February 2, 2018
The effect of occlusal contacts on adjacent tooth
Ayumi Ikeda1, Hiroyuki Miura, Daizo Okada
1Fixed Prosthodontics, Department of Restorative Sciences, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University 1-5-45, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8549, Japan. ayumi-py@hotmail.co.jp
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to clarify the influence of changes of occlusal contacts on adjacent tooth displacement during articulation.
Materials And Methods:
The amount and direction of displacement of the maxillary left first molar and adjacent teeth were measured using a displacement transducer, Type M-3. Seven subjects were included in this study. On the maxillary left first molar, 8 experimental occlusal contact points were established using platinum foil and these were divided into 2 groups, the buccal and lingual groups, which corresponded to the buccal and lingual cusps, respectively.
Results:
During clenching, the buccal group showed differences in the direction of the tooth displacement paths among the 3 teeth (second premolar, first and second molar), but there was no difference in the lingual group and the direction of displacement of these 3 teeth was similar to the natural teeth.
Conclusion:
It is necessary to make at least one lingual occlusal contact point to obtain displacement of not only the abutment tooth but also the adjacent teeth.
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