Exploratory Analysis of Objective Outcome Measures for the Clinical Assessment of Erosive Tooth Wear
Maria Jacinta Rosario H. Romero,
Peter S. Ungar,
Daniel Fried,
Frank Lippert,
Domenick T. Zero,
Susan Zunt,
George J. Eckert,
Ana Gutierrez Gossweiler,
Dylan Jacob Elkington-Stauss,
Guillermo Tamayo-Cabeza,
Adam B. Kelly,
Troy Bartels,
Camille Kita,
Elizabeth Wewers,
Anderson T. Hara
Affiliations
Maria Jacinta Rosario H. Romero
Department of Cariology, Operative Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
Peter S. Ungar
Department of Anthropology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
Daniel Fried
Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
Frank Lippert
Oral Health Research Institute, Department of Cariology, Operative Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
Domenick T. Zero
Oral Health Research Institute, Department of Cariology, Operative Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
Susan Zunt
Department of Oral Pathology, Medicine and Radiology, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
George J. Eckert
Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
Ana Gutierrez Gossweiler
Oral Health Research Institute, Department of Cariology, Operative Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
Dylan Jacob Elkington-Stauss
Department of Anthropology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
Guillermo Tamayo-Cabeza
Department of Cariology, Operative Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
Adam B. Kelly
Oral Health Research Institute, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
Troy Bartels
Department of Anthropology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
Camille Kita
Department of Anthropology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
Elizabeth Wewers
Department of Anthropology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
Anderson T. Hara
Oral Health Research Institute, Department of Cariology, Operative Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
This study proposed using enamel surface texture and thickness for the objective detection and monitoring of erosive tooth wear (ETW), comparing them to the standard subjective Basic Erosive Wear Evaluation (BEWE). Thirty-two subjects (n = 597 teeth) were enrolled in this longitudinal observational clinical study. Enamel thickness (by cross-polarization optical coherence tomography, CP-OCT) and 3D dental microwear parameters, i.e., area-scale fractal complexity (Asfc), anisotropy (Str), and roughness (Sa) (by white-light scanning confocal profilometry), were obtained from buccal surfaces. Buccal, occlusal, and lingual surfaces were scored for BEWE and the maximum score per tooth (BEWEMax) was determined at baseline and 12 months (M12). Data outcome relationships were evaluated (alpha = 0.05). Enamel thickness decreased (p p Buccal correlated strongly with BEWEMax (r = 0.86, p Lingual (r = 0.42, p p = 0.43). Change (Δ) in surface texture outcomes correlated poorly but significantly with ΔBEWEBuccal (r = −0.15–0.16, p p > 0.06). Teeth with BEWE progression revealed a greater increase in ΔSa and ΔStr. These findings suggest that enamel surface roughness can potentially determine ETW severity, and CP-OCT may be relevant for clinically monitoring enamel thickness.
