A practical method for use in epidemiological studies on enamel hypomineralisation

Area of Science:

• Paediatric Dentistry
• Dental Epidemiology
• Enamel Defects

Background:

• Growing global interest in molar-incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) prevalence.
• Existing studies show wide prevalence variations due to non-standardized data recording.
• Need for a reliable diagnostic system for MIH in various settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and content of a new MIH scoring method.
• To enable standardized diagnosis and recording of MIH in epidemiological and clinical studies.
• To allow separate classification of MIH lesions and similar enamel defects.

Main Methods:

• Development of a scoring method for MIH diagnosis.
• Classification of demarcated hypomineralisation lesions and other enamel defects.
• Creation of two charting forms: a short form for screening and a long form for research.

Main Results:

• The proposed grading method classifies MIH lesions separately from other enamel defects.
• It assesses MIH severity by lesion status and affected tooth surface area.
• Two charting forms are proposed for different research needs.

Conclusions:

• The new scoring method provides a standardized approach to MIH diagnosis and data recording.
• It allows for more accurate comparisons between prevalence studies.
• Further validation and testing are required across diverse populations and age groups.