Children with hypoplastic enamel defects of primary incisors are not at increased risk of learning-problem syndromes

Developmental enamel defects of primary teeth have been associated in earlier reports with motor, hearing and psychological disturbances. The relationship between hypoplastic enamel defects and learning problems had not been evaluated previously. For a total of 149 girls and 196 boys we collected a primary tooth shortly after shedding and approximately 2 years later a teacher-completed questionnaire about function in school. Children with a hypoplastic enamel defect of one of their primary incisors were no more likely than their peers without an enamel defect to have any of 7 different learning problem syndromes. In the absence of reason to suspect selection bias, confounding, or misclassification of hypoplastic defects or school problems, we conclude that hypoplastic enamel defects are not associated with teacher-identified learning problems.