Prevalence of developmental enamel defects in children with cerebral palsy

Enamel defects observed in primary anterior teeth of 123 children with congenital cerebral palsy (CP) born 1983 through 1985 in four northern California counties were categorized using an adaptation of the Developmental Defects of Enamel Index. Nineteen children (15%) had crowns or loss of tooth substance (LTS) due to attrition. Missing enamel (ME) including horizontal groove, was observed in 39 children (32%). Twenty-four children without ME (20%) had enamel pits, vertical grooves, or colored enamel opacities. Forty-one (33%) had clinically normal enamel. ME children did not differ significantly from those with normal enamel with respect to race, sex, singleton vs twin, severity or type of CP, or presence of dysmorphic features. ME children more often had shorter gestational ages than children with normal enamel. More ME children, even those who were not low in birth weight, were reported by parents to have required neonatal intensive care.