Affiliations: [a] Advanced Studies and Research Center in Dentistry, “Dr. Keisaburo Miyata” of School of Dentistry, Autonomous University of State of Mexico, Toluca, Mexico | [b] Academic Area of Dentistry, Health Sciences Institute, Autonomous University of Hidalgo State, Pachuca, Mexico | [c] Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University/Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN, USA | [d] Indiana University Network Science Institute, Bloomington, IN, USA
Correspondence:
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Corresponding authors: Rogelio José Scougall-Vilchis and Carlo Eduardo Medina-Solís, Advanced Studies and Research Center in Dentistry, “Dr. Keisaburo Miyata” of School of Dentistry, Autonomous University of State of Mexico, Toluca, Mexico. E-mail: [email protected]@yahoo.com.
Note: [1] These authors should be considered co-first authors.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Adverse effects can occur during orthodontic treatment. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between prevalence and severity of enamel demineralization using a laser-fluorescence device, with length of orthodontic treatment time. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 60 patients in a university orthodontic clinic. A clinical examination to establish demineralization at four sites on each tooth (premolar to premolar) was performed using the DIAGNOdent pen. The dependent variable was enamel demineralization, from which the prevalence (at least one affected site), extension (percentage of affected teeth) and adjusted average (average of the mean DIAGNOdent values per tooth) were calculated. The length of time for orthodontic treatment was determined in months. Various sociodemographic and clinical covariates were included. RESULTS: Average number of months under orthodontic treatment was 26.37 ± 24.81 months. Prevalence of enamel demineralization was 80.0%, its extension was 21.9% ± 17.2 and adjusted average of DIAGNOdent values was 6.09 ± 1.75. By quadrant, the teeth most affected were 14 (34.4%), 24 (25.0%), 31 (30.2%) and 44 (33.3%). No significant relationship (p> 0.05) was observed between enamel demineralization and length of time under orthodontic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of dental demineralization was observed. In this sample, no relationship was observed between months under treatment and dental demineralization, or with other variables included in the study.
