Detection of Erosive Changes on Smooth Surfaces with and without Orthodontic Brackets Using an Intraoral Scanner-An...

Area of Science:

• Dental Research
• Biomaterials Science
• Digital Dentistry

Background:

• Acidic beverage consumption is a primary cause of dental erosion.
• Early detection of dental erosion is crucial for effective management.
• Orthodontic treatment may alter susceptibility to dental erosion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of intraoral scanners (IOS) in detecting erosive changes on tooth surfaces.
• To evaluate IOS suitability for monitoring enamel erosion adjacent to orthodontic brackets.
• To compare IOS detection with quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) as a reference standard.

Main Methods:

• Extracted human teeth were subjected to erosive challenges using citric acid and various beverages.
• Orthodontic brackets were affixed to simulate clinical conditions.
• Teeth were scanned using IOS at baseline and post-erosion cycles; enamel loss was quantified.
• Quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) was employed for comparative analysis.

Main Results:

• Significant enamel loss was observed in all tested acidic beverage groups after two and three erosion cycles (p < 0.0001).
• A significant correlation was found between IOS measurements and QLF data (p = 0.001).
• IOS effectively detected and quantified enamel erosion on smooth surfaces, with and without brackets.

Conclusions:

• Intraoral scanners demonstrate capability in detecting and quantifying enamel erosion.
• IOS shows potential as a digital tool for monitoring erosive changes during orthodontic treatment.
• Further in vitro studies are warranted to validate these promising findings.