Evaluation of the Esthetic Properties of Developmental Defects of Enamel: A Spectrophotometric Clinical Study

Abstract

Objectives. Detailed clinical quantification of optical properties of developmental defect of enamel is possible with spectrophotometric evaluation. Developmental defects of enamel (DDE) are daily encountered in clinical practice. DDE are an alteration in quality and quantity of the enamel, caused by disruption and/or damage to the enamel organ during amelogenesis. Methods. Several clinical indices have been developed to categorize enamel defects based on their nature, appearance, microscopic features, or cause. A sample of 39 permanent teeth presenting DDE on labial surface was examined using the DDE Modified Index and SpectroShade evaluation. The spectrophotometric approach quantifies L * (luminosity), a * (quantity of green-red), and b * (quantity of blue-yellow) of different DDE. Conclusions. SpectroShade evaluation of the optical properties of the enamel defect enhances clinical understanding of severity and extent of the defect and characterizes the enamel alteration in terms of color discrepancy and surface characterization.

Making white spots disappear! Do minimally invasive treatments improve incisor opacities in children with molar‐incisor hypomineralisation?

“…Opacities located on the more translucent incisal third of the tooth are more noticeable, by virtue of their opaque nature. 14 If the patient has a short upper lip length, incompetent oral seal and/or proclined incisors, the opacity may also be subject to drying and may be even more visible. In this study, all opacities were located in the incisal third of affected incisors, although the details about the patient's lip line were not recorded.…”

“…Furthermore, attempts to measure tooth colour by the human eye are highly susceptible to bias. 14 Investigators have therefore sought to employ image analysis techniques to provide more objective and reproducible measurements of enamel colour/characteristics. Notably, Kim and co-workers 9 appear to have been the first to use image analysis software to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment in improving the aesthetics of both anterior enamel opacities and post-orthodontic decalcification lesions in young patients.…”

“…The evaluation of tooth colour is acknowledged to be complex. Furthermore, attempts to measure tooth colour by the human eye are highly susceptible to bias 14 . Investigators have therefore sought to employ image analysis techniques to provide more objective and reproducible measurements of enamel colour/characteristics.…”

Correlation Between Parodontal Indexes and Orthodontic Retainers: Prospective Study in a Group of 16 Patients

“…This is in line with what claimed by Artun (29) who observed that the retainer could have a positive effect on oral hygiene: "The presence of an orthodontic wire applied with a retentive aim, at short and long term, with plaque and calculus build-up, does not appear to prevent hygiene which results to be adequate even along the gingival margin. In this regard, the motivation, possibly transmitted by the orthodontist while giving the contention device, results to be the main success factor" (30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42).…”

Prevalence of Enamel Hypoplasia and Enamel Hypocalcification in a Group of Egyptian Children

“…Several clinical indices have been developed to categorize enamel defects and they can be divided into (a) Specific fluorosis indices which identify and categorize only dental fluorosis, and (b) Descriptive indices with no etiological assumption .The modified DDE Index is a descriptive index. It is more practical and comparable index for epidemiological studies and it allows efficient recording of prevalence and severity of enamel defects (9). .…”