EVALUATION OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SEVERITY OF DENTIN SENSITIVITY AND DEGREE OF TOOTH WEAR

Dentin hypersensitivity (DH) has many etiologycal factors and seen widespreadly in population. Howewer, this etiologycal factors do not always cause DH. Severity of DH may change due to the different degrees of tooth wear. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships between severity of dentin sensitivity and degree of the occlusal tooth wear that may induce DH. 42 patients and 150 teeth with occlusal tooth wear were investigated in study. Tooth Wear Index (TWI) was used to determine the degree of tooth wear. Acidic drinking habits of patients were recorded. DH condition or severity of DH in occlusal tooth wear was recorded by using Visual Analoque Scale (VAS). The mean value of VAS in respect of TWI in 2.nd degree was found significantly higher than the mean value of VAS in respect of TWI in 1.nd and 3.th degree (P 0.01). The mean value of VAS in respect of TWI in 3.nd degree was found significantly higher than the mean value of VAS in respect of TWI in 1.nd de gree (P 0.01). At second degree tooth wear which includes dentin DH is at the highest level and the decrease of DH by wear increase show that time factor can be important for oblitering the dentin tubules by smear layer.