Devices for In Vitro Simulation of Dental Wear: A Scoping Review

Background/Objectives: In vitro simulation of dental wear is essential for preclinical evaluation of dental materials, but available devices differ widely in operating principles and simulated oral conditions. This scoping review mapped devices used to reproduce dental wear and oral aging and classified them according to the dominant wear mechanism. Methods: Searches were conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, Embase, and Google Scholar for records published between 1985 and 2026. Eligible sources reported an identifiable in vitro device or setup, a dental material or hard-tissue substrate, and extractable device-level data on operating principles, parameters, environment, antagonist, or outcomes. Results: Sixty-eight reports were retained and consolidated into 19 devices or device families. The systems included two-body chewing simulators, three-body wear machines, robotic or multiaxial masticatory platforms, tribometers, toothbrushing abrasion devices, erosion and pH-cycling systems, tribocorrosion setups, and multifunctional oral aging simulators. Device development showed a transition from mainly mechanical wear testing toward integrated platforms combining load, sliding, thermocycling, saliva or electrolyte exposure, pH control, chemical challenge, biofilm-related conditions, and electrochemical monitoring. Reporting remained heterogeneous, particularly for load, cycle number, frequency, sliding distance, antagonist material, medium, temperature, pH, and outcome measurement. Conclusions: Device selection should be based on the dominant wear mechanism, material type, and research objective. More complete source-level reporting is needed to improve reproducibility and comparability.