Dentistry · Oral & Dental · Medium

Attrition

Meaning: Gradual wear of tooth surfaces caused by direct tooth-to-tooth contact, such as grinding.

In practice: Flattened biting edges showed marked attrition from years of nocturnal grinding.

Quick check

Two questions on related dentistry words.

Which word means: A material placed in a prepared tooth cavity to restore its shape and function.

Which word means: Custom-made restoration that covers one or more cusps of a back tooth, between a filling and a crown.

Words like attrition come up in the daily game

One medical word a day, then a quick three-question quiz. Free on iPhone, or play in your browser on Android and computer.

Related words

More dentistry terms · All medical words