If there are concerns around aesthetics or clinical consequences such as dentinal hypersensitivity, a dental restoration (white filling) may be a suitable treatment option. Aside from restoring the lesion, it is equally important to remove any other possible causative factors. Adjustments to the biting surfaces of the teeth alter the way the upper and lower teeth come together, this may assist by redirecting the occlusal load. The aim of this is to redirect the force of the load to the long axis of the tooth, therefore removing the stress on the lesion. This can also be achieved by altering the tooth surfaces such as cuspal inclines, reducing heavy contacts and removing premature contacts. If bruxism is deemed a contributing factor an occlusal splint can be an effective treatment for eliminating the irregular forces placed on the tooth. Controversy
Abfraction has been a controversial subject since its creation in 1991. This is due to the clinical presentation of the tooth loss, which often presents in a manner similar to that of abrasion or erosion. The major reasoning behind the controversy is the similarity of abfraction to other non carious lesions and the prevalence of multiple theories to potentially explain the lesion. One of the most prevalent theories is called "the theory of non-carious cervical lesions" which suggests that tooth flexion, occurring due to occlusion factors, impacts on the vulnerable area near the cementoenamel junction. This theory is not widely accepted among the professional community as it suggests that the only factor is occlusion.
Because of this controversy the true causes of abfraction also remain disputable. Researchers have proposed that abfraction is caused by forces on the tooth from the teeth touching together, occlusal forces, when chewing and swallowing. These lead to a concentration of stress and flexion at the area where the enamel and cementum meet (CEJ). This theoretical stress concentration and flexion over time causes the bonds in the enamel of the tooth to break down and either fracture or be worn away from other stressors such as erosion or abrasion. The people who initially proposed the theory of abfraction believe the occlusal forces alone cause the lesions without requiring the added abrasive components such as toothbrush and paste or erosion.If teeth come together in a non-ideal bite the researchers state that this would create further stress in areas on the teeth. Teeth that come together too soon or come under more load than they are designed for could lead to abfraction lesions. The impacts of restorations on the chewing surfaces of the teeth being the incorrect height has also been raised as another factor adding to the stress at the CEJ.Further research has shown that the normal occlusal forces from chewing and swallowing are not sufficient to cause the stress and flexion required to cause abfraction lesions. However, these studies have shown that the forces are sufficient in a person who grinds their teeth (bruxism).