Morsicatio buccarum
| Morsicatio buccarum | |
|---|---|
| Classification and external resources | |
| Specialty | Oral medicine |
| ICD-10 | K13.1 (ILDSlK13.110) |
Morsicatio buccarum (also termed chronic cheek biting and chronic cheek chewing) is a condition characterized by chronic irritation or injury to the buccal mucosa (the lining of the inside of the cheek within the mouth), caused by repetitive chewing, biting or nibbling.
Morsicatio buccarum really is a type of frictional keratosis. The term is derived from the Latin words, morusus meaning "bite" and bucca meaning "cheek". This term has been described as "a classic example of medical terminology gone astray".
The lesions are located on the mucosa, usually bilaterally in the central part of the anterior buccal mucosa and along the level of the occlusal plane (the level at which the upper and lower teeth meet). Sometimes the tongue or the labial mucosa (the inside lining of the lips) is affected by a similarly produced lesion, termed morsicatio linguarum and morsicatio labiorum respectively. There may be a coexistent linea alba, which corresponds to the occlusal plane, or crenated tongue. The lesions are white with thickening and shredding of mucosa commonly combined with intervening zones of erythema (redness) or ulceration. The surface is irregular, and people may occasionally have loose sections of mucosa that comes away.
The cause is chronic parafunctional activity of the masticatory system, which produces frictional, crushing and incisive damage to the mucosal surface and over time the characteristic lesions develop. Most people are aware of a cheek chewing habit, although it may be performed subconsciously. Sometimes poorly constructed prosthetic teeth may be the cause if the original bite is altered. Usually the teeth are placed too far facially (i.e. buccally and/or labially), outside the "neutral zone", which is the term for the area where the dental arch is usually situated, where lateral forces between the tongue and cheek musculature are in balance. Glassblowing involves chronic suction and may produce similar irritation of the buccal mucosa. Identical, or more severe damage may be caused by self-mutilation in people with psychiatric disorders, learning disabilities or rare syndromes (e.g. Lesch-Nyhan syndrome and familial dysautonomia).
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