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Knowledge, assessment and treatment of molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) among German dentists
Carla Ostermann1, Christian Splieth1, Mohammad Alkilzy2
1Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany, Fleischmannstr. 42, 17475.
Objectives:
This study investigated the knowledge, perceptions, and clinical practices of German dentists regarding molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH), a significant issue in paediatric dentistry. To date, no study has examined the knowledge and experience of German dentists with MIH.
Subjects And Methods:
A digital questionnaire comprising 25 items was designed to assess German dentists' understanding of MIH. The questionnaire was available online via Survio.de from March to June 2023. The responses were entered anonymously into an Excel spreadsheet and analysed using SPSS 29.0.
Results:
625 dentists were surveyed, and 517 questionnaires were evaluated. 99.2% of respondents treated patients with MIH, and 92.5% considered it a significant clinical problem. Commonly observed clinical presentations included yellow/brown defects (81%), enamel loss (46%) and white defects (36.4%). 68.6% of respondents noted an increase in MIH prevalence. Treatment barriers included child behaviour (44.7%), difficulties with local anaesthesia (22.7%), and extended treatment duration (15.3%). Most dentists (77.8%) expressed a desire for further training on MIH.
Conclusions:
The data indicated that dentists' MIH management was influenced by specialisation and diagnostic confidence. Despite basic knowledge and experience, many respondents expressed a need for further education. Age-related biases and limited awareness of new techniques highlight the need for further research.
Clinical Relevance:
Dentists must receive comprehensive training to enable them to diagnose and treat patients promptly. This should include the development of updated courses, which should be aligned with international guidelines.
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