Morsicatio buccarum 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.
The cause is the 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.
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.
[2] In people with human immunodeficiency virus, who are at higher risk of oral hairy leukoplakia, a tissue biopsy may be required to differentiate between this and frictional keratosis from cheek and tongue chewing.
The most common and simple treatment is the construction of a specially made acrylic prosthesis that covers the biting surfaces of the teeth and protects the cheek, tongue, and labial mucosa (an occlusal splint).
Psychological intervention has also been attempted, with some studies reporting negative findings,[2] while some individuals seem to benefit from behavioral procedures involving habit reversal training and decoupling.