Hypoplasia of the enamel. Cervical caries

Enamel hypoplasia and cervical caries in children: causes, symptoms, treatment

Hypoplasia is manifested by:

• non-uniform enamel color (from white or yellow to dark brown),
• changes in relief (depressions, grooves) are more common on the vestibular surface (facing the vestibule of the oral cavity).

Forms of hypoplasia

• Systemic, when groups of milk and permanent teeth are affected. The defect appears on the cutting edges of the incisors and on the tubercles of the chewing teeth. Most often, parents notice an unsightly appearance of teeth in children, and the child, in turn, may complain of pain in the upper and lower jaw when eating sweet or cold food.
• Local hypoplasia, in which one or more teeth are more often affected (a speck or depression appears on the enamel). The cause of the defect on the permanent tooth is an inflammatory process in the area of the roots of the baby tooth in the past, which affected the formation of the rudiment of the permanent tooth. That is why it is so important to take care of baby teeth and visit a pediatric dentist twice a year.

Causes of hypoplasia

The main reason for the development of hypoplasia on the teeth is a metabolic disorder at the time of the formation of the rudiments of teeth.

Factors related to the child's diseases: Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and other CNS lesions; rickets and childhood infections (measles, scarlet fever), hypo- and vitamin deficiency.

Patients with hypoplasia are most susceptible to the development of caries and its complications, especially with poor oral hygiene. It is necessary to visit a pediatric dentist regularly for preventive examinations and professional oral hygiene, identify defects in time and treat them in a timely manner.

Symptoms of cervical caries

At the initial stages, cervical caries in children is asymptomatic. Further, as the disease progresses, symptoms such as enamel spots (yellow or brown), sensitivity when brushing teeth, and reactions to temperature and chemical stimuli appear. If symptoms appear, it is necessary to consult a dentist. During the examination, the doctor will determine the degree of disease activity, the number of affected teeth and the depth of the lesion, and suggest treatment options.

Depending on the degree of activity, cervical caries is divided into three types:

Compensated. Tooth damage occurs slowly, and examination reveals isolated enamel lesions. It is necessary to visit the dentist every 3 months and regularly remineralize (strengthen) the enamel at the reception and at home.

Subcompensated. Enamel lesions develop over several months. It is also necessary to regularly carry out hygiene and strengthen the enamel with fluorinated compounds. A single restoration of teeth with a composite material is possible, depending on the depth of the lesion.

Decompensated. Severe course, the carious process develops rapidly and spreads to neighboring teeth, is accompanied by acute pain and requires immediate treatment. Most often, with this type of lesion, dental treatment is performed under general anesthesia and the destroyed teeth are restored with crowns.

Cervical caries also develops on permanent teeth, especially during the eruption of the second molars. The reason is poor oral hygiene, an unbalanced diet, and the consumption of large amounts of carbohydrates. This process is detected during preventive examinations and, depending on the depth of the lesion, treatment is performed (restoration with composite material, fluoroapplicationand).