Non-carious cervical lesions (NCCLs) DE

Non-carious cervical lesions (NCCLs) represent a progressive loss of tooth structure at the cementoenamel junction, unrelated to caries, with a prevalence ranging from 0.8% to 85.7%. These lesions often manifest as wedge-shaped or saucer-shaped defects and increase in frequency and severity with age due to prolonged exposure to multiple etiological factors. Mechanical wear from improper toothbrushing, chemical erosion from dietary acids, and biomechanical stresses such as abfraction are the primary contributors. Abfraction, first described in the 1980s, emphasizes the role of occlusal loading and cuspal flexure in generating tensile stresses at the cervical region, predisposing enamel and dentin to microcracks and subsequent structural breakdown. NCCLs are clinically significant because they compromise esthetics, tooth sensitivity, plaque retention, pulpal vitality, and long-term structural integrity, often posing restorative challenges due to their cervical location and limited enamel for bonding. Management focus on minimally invasive restoration, with materials such as resin composites, glass ionomers, resin-modified glass ionomers, and self-adhesive composites.