Objective: To evaluate the impact of Molar Incisor Hypomineralization (MIH) in the OHRQoL in a group of 8 to 10 year-old Mexican schoolchildren. Study design: A cross-sectional study of 411 8 to 10 year-old schoolchildren selected from public schools in Naucalpan, in the State of Mexico. The presence and severity of MIH was evaluated using the European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (EAPD) criteria. The OHRQoL was evaluated using the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ). Poisson regression models were performed for the analysis. Results: The prevalence of MIH in the permanent dentition was 40.4%. High scores were found in the four domains of the CPQ for children with MIH compared to children without MIH (p<0.001). In the Poisson model, a greater negative impact in the four CPQ domains was found for schoolchildren with MIH: oral symptoms [RR=1.75 (CI95% 1.63–1.78)]; functional limitations [RR=2.17 (CI95% 2.01–2.35)]; emotional wellbeing [RR=1.94 (CI95% 1.80–2.08)]; and, social well-being [RR=2.62 (CI95% 2.49–2.77)]. A greater impact on the four CPQ domains were found for children with moderate/severe MIH compared to children without MIH (p<0.001). Conclusion: Children with moderate/severe MIH experienced a greater negative impact on their OHRQoL compared to children without MIH.

Background: Current diagnostic methods for enamel caries detection are unable to detect caries lesions (incipient caries lesion) at a very early stage. Objective: This study aims to determine the remineralizing effect of three fluorinated compounds on demineralized subsurface tooth enamel using Raman spectroscopy characterization. Methods: In this experimental study, sixty impacted 3rd molars, with intact anatomical crowns recently extracted and without structural defects, were sectioned longitudinally in a mesio-distal direction using a diamond disc, obtaining two working surfaces (buccal and lingual). The 120 working surfaces obtained were immersed for 96 h in a demineralization solution at 37°C in order to demineralize the enamel surface. All samples were randomly divided into three groups (n=30 each) and their surfaces were treated with silver diamine fluoride (SDF), Difluoride silane (DSF), and acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF), and with no treatment undertaken in the control group (CG). The samples were immersed in alternating solutions for demineralization and remineralization at pH 4.4 and pH 7.0, respectively. The results were analyzed with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in order to determine the variance. Results: The most important difference (91.7%) is observed in APF group between PCA1 respect to PCA2, followed by DSF (91.5%) and SDF (76.3%) respectively. Therefore, a greater remineralization in the dental enamel can be observed by the three experimental groups. Conclusion: The APF and DSF have the effect of recovering the mineralization of dental enamel, except for the SDF. Functional groups OH- and PO43- were identified in all subsurface.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare in vitro the protective effect of two enamel remineralizing agents, a varnish containing β-tricalcium phosphate with sodium fluoride (β-TCP-F) and a paste containing casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate with sodium fluoride (CPP-ACP-F), on artificially demineralized human enamel. Methods: A total of 120 human third molar enamel specimens were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 30 each): Group I (healthy enamel, control), Group II (initially demineralized, lesioned enamel), Group III (demineralized enamel and treated with β-TCP-F), and Group IV (demineralized enamel and treated with CPP-ACP-F). Groups II–IV underwent, for 15 days, a daily pH cycling regimen consisting of 21 h of demineralization under pH 4.4, followed by 3 h of remineralization under pH 7. Groups III and IV were treated with either β-TCP-F or CPP-ACP-F, prior to each 24 h demineralization–remineralization cycle. Fluoride ion release was measured after each pH cycle. Surface hardness, roughness, wettability, and Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation were assessed on days 5, 10, and 15 after a daily pH cycle. Results: CPP-ACP-F treatment showed a larger improvement in surface hardness (515.2 ± 10.7) compared to β-TCP-F (473.6 ± 12.8). Surface roughness decreased for both treatments compared to initially lesioned enamel; however, the decrease in roughness in the β-TCP-F group only reached a value of 1.193 μm after 15 days of treatment, a significantly larger value in comparison to healthy enamel. On the other hand, the decrease in roughness in the CPP-ACP-F treatment group reached a value of 0.76 μm, similar to that of healthy enamel. Contact angle measurements indicated that wettability increased in both treatment groups (β-TCP-F: 71.01°, CPP-ACP-F: 65.24°) compared to initially lesioned samples in Group II, reaching WCA values similar to or smaller than those of healthy enamel surfaces. Conclusions: Both treatments, β-TCP-F and CPP-ACP-F, demonstrated protective effects against enamel demineralization, with CPP-ACP-F showing superior enhancement of surface hardness and smoother enamel texture under in vitro pH cycling conditions. β-TCP-F varnish and CPP-ACP-F paste treatments counteracted surface modifications produced on human healthy enamel by in vitro demineralization.

Background. Phosphoric acid is the traditional etching agent; self-etching adhesives and Er:YAG laser are alternative methods. Knowledge of deciduous enamel etching is required.Aim. To evaluate primary enamel microhardness, structure, and morphology after phosphoric acid, self-etching, and Er:YAG laser etching.Design. Seventy primary incisors were assigned to five groups (n=14): I (control), II (35% phosphoric acid), III (self-etching adhesive), IV (Er:YAG laser at 15 J/cm²), and V (Er:YAG laser at 19.1 J/cm²). Microhardness was evaluated by Vickers indentation. Chemical composition was analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and morphological changes by scanning electron microscopy. One-way ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis, Mann–WhitneyU, and Pearson bivariate correlation were employed (α=0.05).Results. Vickers microhardness showed differences and no correlation with Ca/P ratio. Group II showed differences in carbon, oxygen, and phosphorus atomic percent and group V in Ca/P ratio. Morphological changes included exposed prisms, fractures, craters, and fusion.Conclusions. Enamel treated with phosphoric acid showed different chemical characterization among groups. Self-etching and Er:YAG laser irradiation at 19.1 J/cm²showed similar microhardness and chemical characterization. Er:YAG laser irradiation at 15 J/cm²maintained microhardness as untreated enamel. Er:YAG laser irradiation at 19.1 J/cm²enhanced mineral content. Morphological retentive changes were specific to each type of etching protocol.