ENAMEL HYPOPLASIA

WHAT IS ENAMEL HYPOPLASIA?

Enamel Hypoplasia is a defect of the teeth in which the enamel is hard but thin and deficient in
amount, caused by defective enamel matrix formation.
Hypoplasia is an enamel deficiency that leaves the teeth vulnerable to damage and decay. It
often takes the form of grooves, pits, or lines within teeth, either across the surface or in
certain spots. Depending on the severity, Enamel hypoplasia can look like a small dent in the
tooth, or take up several teeth throughout the mouth. There can be localized discoloration, or
the entire tooth can turn a dark brown color.
There are two types of causes attributed to Enamel Hypoplasia: Hereditary and Environmental.
HEREDITARY ENAMEL HYPOPLASIA
Often genetic Enamel Hypoplasia means that both the baby teeth and the adult teeth will be
affected. The hereditary defects mean that the enamel is missing one of the three critical
developmental phases: formation, mineralization and maturation. When the creation process is
unable to develop completely, the enamel is either brittle or susceptible to cracks, or soft or
easy to wear down.
In the hereditary condition, the child and the parents have no way to prevent enamel
hypoplasia and will have to treat the tooth or teeth as they start coming in and showing signs of
malformation.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENAMEL HYPOPLASIA
Environmental Enamel Hypoplasia is somewhat preventable in most cases. According to the
European Council on Pediatric Dentistry, environmental factors during early childhood can
affect baby teeth, permanent teeth or both. These events occur in the womb, during delivery
and in the months following birth.
A few causes of Environmental Enamel Hypoplasia include:
1. Malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies: particularly vitamins A, C and D.
2. Bacterial and viral infections like syphilis, measles, chickenpox and other illnesses that
causes high fever.
3. A prolonged delivery, prematurity, birth injury
4. Infections that result in long-lasting diarrhea and vomiting.
If the mother suffers from malnutrition or becomes ill with a high fever, she is at high risk of
causing enamel hypoplasia to the infant when they are born.
However, even perfectly healthy infants can suffer from Enamel Hypoplasia as a result of
trauma to the newly developed teeth.
Environmental factors that may cause Enamel Hypoplasia include an array of chemicals and
medications. Chemotherapeutic drugs used in the treatment of childhood malignancies are
implicated in this category, since they inhibit the normal the normal cellular mechanisms
involved in matrix deposition and calcification. Fluoride and tetracycline medications are the
best known causative agents of Enamel Hypoplasia

TREATMENT FOR ENAMEL HYPOPLASIA

The treatment process for enamel hypoplasia varies depending on the severity of the condition
and the age of the child. For light cases where there is only mild discoloration, dentist might
suggest bleaching the affected tooth to make it appear white next to its healthy counterparts.
Some patients may need to have their teeth regularly bleached with hydrogen peroxide after
the initial treatment fades.
For more serious problems, like visible pits or decay, the dentist might drill out the affected
areas and fill in the cavities. This will reduce sensitivity and pain if the enamel Hypoplasia is only
located in a small part of the tooth, but won’t completely solve the problem if the entire tooth
is affected. In that case, the dentist might recommend a more permanent solution, as the
addition of a crown or onlay.
In advanced cases, the tooth may need to be removed altogether and replaced with a bridge or
dental implant. The purpose of the dental implant is to prevent other teeth from shifting to
bridge the gap to aid chewing, resulting in a crooked smile.

ENAMEL HYPOPLASIA PREVENTION

One of the most important factors in treating Enamel Hypoplasia is catching it early. It’s better
for the dentist to spot a sensitive area or fill a small cavity early than to remove the whole tooth
due to extensive decay.
The addition of vitamins A and D can assist in strengthening developing teeth. Patients can
either take vitamin supplements or increase their consumption of milk and green leafy
vegetables.
Enamel Hypoplasia patients need to constantly maintain good oral hygiene to prevent further
decay. Dentist may require patients to come in for additional cleaning throughout the year and
require professional toothpaste and brushes.
REFERENCE
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enamel_hypoplasia
healthline.com/health/enamel-hypoplasia
crest.com/en-us/oral-health/conditions/enamel/enamel-hypoplasia