DAO Contact Q

[foh]

Deck states,

"Contact surface area increases with age as a result of proximal attrition".
&
"Contact areas create wear patterns that will eventually cause reduced interproximal embrassure areas".

If proximal contact wear down, then woulnd't we have smaller contacting area and larger embrassure?

Confused and looking for help. Thanx!

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[docnc]

Deck states,

"Contact surface area increases with age as a result of proximal attrition".
&
"Contact areas create wear patterns that will eventually cause reduced interproximal embrassure areas".

If proximal contact wear down, then woulnd't we have smaller contacting area and larger embrassure?

Confused and looking for help. Thanx!

no...the above statement is absolutely correct....if proximal contact area is wearing off then it will result in broadening / increase in contact area & finally decrease in embrasure....
i hope you got it.....

 

[foh]

Thank you for the quick reply, but I'm still lost.

Let's say your initial contact was 1mm wide and 1mm tall. If "proximal contact wears down", then now your contact is only 0.5mm wide and 0.5mm tall. You now have smaller area that is contacting the adjacent tooth, no? If contact is wearing down, how can it get broader???

Thanx again in advance~

 

[heyamandi]

i always think of it as the convexity is wearing down....so its not contacting the adjacent tooth at that 1mmx1mm point anymore....the sides of the teeth wear down and get flatter so now the contact point is broader and the embrasures are smaller.

 

[Lidopaine82]

Thank you for the quick reply, but I'm still lost.

Let's say your initial contact was 1mm wide and 1mm tall. If "proximal contact wears down", then now your contact is only 0.5mm wide and 0.5mm tall. You now have smaller area that is contacting the adjacent tooth, no? If contact is wearing down, how can it get broader???

Thanx again in advance~

thats exactly the opposite of what's going on. i think post #4 explains it well.