Abstract

Advanced tooth wear has been increasingly observed lately, especially in young people. Its etiology is varied: malocclusion, parafunctions, erosion and can determine functional discomfort, raising questions of treatment planning. Aim and objectives: The present paper deals with the case of a 23 years’ old patient suffering from severe generalised tooth wear with occlusal etiology and increased tooth sensitivity during mastication. The case was challenging because it proved impossible to increase the vertical dimension of occlusion (as shown by radiological and clinical examinations). Because the patient was young, in the absence of adequate space to accommodate the restorations, we wished to suggest the least invasive solution. Material and methods: We decided for a therapeutic protocol involving orthodontic procedures to obtain space for the prosthetic reconstruction and, consequently, complete prosthetic adhesive reconstructions involving dental structure conservation. Results: The esthetic and functional (including elimination of dentinal hypersensitivity) goals of the treatment were achieved without preparation of the dental structures. The patient did not experience subsequent complications, as shown during the follow-ups done at 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 months. Conclusions: Cephalometry assessment supplied key-data for subsequent prosthetic procedures. Interdisciplinary treatments were recommended to be combined so as the preferred treatment was minimally invasive to dental tissues in order to have a contingency plan for the patient in 10 years’ time too.

Authors and Affiliations