Attrition: possible mechanisms of compensation.

Attrition, or wear of the occlusal surfaces of the teeth, may not only be physiologically normal, but necessary for function. Since occlusal wear must lead to reduction in tooth length, significant dimensional changes in facial morphology are inevitable unless mechanisms exist to compensate for attrition. Secondary dentine formation, alveolar growth, and adaptive changes in the masticatory muscles can provide this compensation, and may be part of a complex system by which an effective level of masticatory function is maintained even when attrition is extreme.