Abfraction Lesions: Analyzing the cause by identifying biological and lifestyle similarities

Abfraction lesions are non-carious (not caused by decay), wedge-shaped indentations near the gumline that expose the sensitive dentin under the protective enamel (Sarode and Sarode, 2013). A clear understanding of the contributors to abfraction formation would have a major impact on clinical dentistry, potentially informing interventions to prevent these lesions. Knowing the causes of abfractions would also benefit forensic anthropology and bioarchaeology, since dental structures are widely used to determine aspects of a deceased individual’s identity, including their age, sex, population affinity, habits, and general lifestyle. However, there little consensus on the etiology of abfractions among the various disciplines affected (Jakupovic et al., 2014; Nascimento et al., 2016)