Relationship between the Presence of Demarcated Opacities and Hypoplasia in Permanent Teeth and Caries in Their Primary Predecessors

Vol. 37, No. 6, 2003

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Original Paper

Relationship between the Presence of Demarcated Opacities and Hypoplasia in Permanent Teeth and Caries in Their Primary Predecessors
Edward C.M. Lo^a, Cun G. Zheng^b, Nigel M. King^a

^aFaculty of Dentistry, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, and
^bSchool of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China

Address of Corresponding Author

Caries Res 2003;37:456-461 (DOI: 10.1159/000073400)

Key Words

Developmental defects of enamel
DDE index
Dental caries
Primary teeth
Permanent teeth

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the presence of demarcated opacities and hypoplasia on permanent teeth and the caries status of the primary predecessor teeth in a cohort of Chinese children. Methods: The study sample consisted of 250 children living in a non-fluoridated area in Southern China whose caries status of primary teeth at the age of 3-6 years had been recorded annually in a previous study. A follow-up examination of their permanent teeth was conducted when they were about 12 years old. The presence of enamel defects was determined by consensus of 2 dentists according to the modified DDE index. Results: 56.8% of the 250 children examined had demarcated opacities, while 10.8% of them had hypoplasia. Demarcated opacities and hypoplasia were found in 5.8 and 1.3% of the teeth examined, respectively. A higher prevalence of demarcated opacities was found in those permanent teeth of which their primary predecessor teeth had caries than in those without (7.5 vs. 3.8%, p < 0.001). A similar finding was obtained for the prevalence of hypoplasia (1.9 vs. 0.4%, p < 0.001). Conclusion: There was an association between caries in primary teeth and the presence of demarcated opacities and hypoplasia in their permanent successors.

Author Contacts

Dr. Edward C.M. Lo
Faculty of Dentistry, University of Hong Kong
Prince Philip Dental Hospital, 34 Hospital Road
Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
Tel. +852 2859 0292, Fax +852 2858 7874, E-Mail hrdplcm@hkucc.hku.hk

Article Information

Received: January 2, 2003
Accepted after revision: May 26, 2003
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 39

Medline Abstract (ID 14571126)

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