Outcome of restorative treatment in young patients with amelogenesis imperfecta. a cross-sectional, retrospective...

The longevity of dental restorations in patients with amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) is limited. The aim of this paper is to compare oral health and longevity of dental restorations in a group of young patients with AI compared to a control group.

Patients included were 82 patients with AI, 40 boys and 42 girls, 6 to 25 years old (mean age 14.5±4.3 years) and a control group matched in age, gender and residential area. All patients received an examination recording dental caries, gingivitis, previous therapy, replaced restorations, tooth sensitivity, and number of dental visits. Patient dental records, extending from 6 to 10 years before the study, provided data on previous care.

Annual mean number of dental visits in the AI group was 2.9±1.7 compared to 1.9±1.2 in the control group (p<0.001). DMFS was 8.1±15.6 in the AI group compared to 1.0±2.0 in the control group (p<0.001). The longevity of dental restorations was significantly lower in the patients with AI, with 24.7±35.1% of the AI group requiring replacement of fillings during the observation period compared to 9.23±23.7% in the control group (p=0.001). Patients with hypomineralized/hypomaturized AI have restorations of shorter longevity than those with hypoplastic AI (p<0.01). Porcelain crowns had significantly longer survival than composite resin materials in the AI group (p<0.001). Clinical Significance This study shows the need for long-lasting restorative solutions for patients with AI. It also shows the importance of establishing an early permanent therapy plan for these patients to avoid frequent dental visits.