Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Information about life, food, and mastication behavior during the lifespan of an individual is encoded in the dental occlusal wear pattern. It has a profound significance in tooth treatment and restoration. Studies on tooth macrowear and microwear are rare, and mainly emphasize the field of palaeoanthropology and discrimination of different species. Few studies are focused on the application of the wear facet to the dental clinical and individual identification.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution and microwear pattern of first molar wear facet, and to explore the potential value in first molar wear facet for dental clinic and individual identification.
METHODS: We chose 45 health volunteers as research subjects, and divided them into three groups, age 20-29 years, age 30-39 years, age 40-49 year. Each group had 15 persons. Then plaster modes were prepared in all the volunteers. The wear facets appearing on the first molar were recorded. The microwear patterns of the first molar were analyzed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: As age increased, the appearance frequency of wear facet 10 in the maxillary first molar and wear facets 7, 10 in the mandibular first molar was increased (P < 0.05). The microwear pattern was different in different age groups.