Biology of tooth wear: experimental studies [ 2002 - 2004 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Prof Lindsay Richards (Principal investigator) ,  John Kaidonis ,  Prof Grant Townsend

Brief description Tooth wear is a significant clinical problem for both older people who have kept their natural teeth and for some younger individuals. The main causes of tooth wear are attrition (resulting from tooth to tooth contact), abrasion (from dietary and environmental abrasives) and erosion (caused by acidic food and drinks or from regurgitation of acid). At present our understanding of the relative significance of these types of wear and the exact conditions under which excessive wear occurs is limited. Furthermore our understanding of the wear characteristics of many commonly used dental materials is limited. The proposed study will provide important new information about: the interaction between applied bite forces and acids in the oral environment as determinants of the rate of tooth wear; the potential for wear prevention using mouth rinses and gels; the wear characteristics of dental materials commonly used to restore teeth.

Funding Amount $AUD 165,990.00

Funding Scheme NHMRC Project Grants

Notes Standard Project Grant