Contribution of dentistry in the diagnosis of systemic disorders related to erosive tooth wear

Erosive tooth wear (ETW) is the irreversible loss of dental hard tissue resulting from the chemical-mechanical process. The aim of the present case report was to present two clinical cases of patients affected by ETW arising from different etiological factors. The patients, of the male gender, 9 and 10 years of age presented to the pediatric dental clinic, for routine evaluation. On clinical exam, both patients had no caries lesions, but some lesions suggestive of ETW, which had aspects such as a translucent halo around the occlusal surface of teeth, in addition to "cupping” lesions - mainly in the cusp region, and loss of tooth enamel (by volume). The lesions were restricted to enamel, and the patients showed no dental hypersensitivity. From the dental clinical exam and anamnesis, the two patients were found to have similar tooth structure loss, with diagnosis of ETW. However, in one patient the etiology was extrinsic due to diet, and in the other, it was intrinsic due to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The latter patient was referred to a specialist for evaluation of the systemic condition, and GERD was diagnosed. It was concluded that dentists play an important role, as coadjuvant in the diagnosis of health problems related to ETW. Therefore, meticulous clinical exams must be performed to establish the correct diagnosis, because swift intervention in the clinical cases presented had a positive impact on halting the erosive process.