Long-term follow-up of camouflage effects following resin infiltration of post orthodontic white-spot lesions in vivo.

Abstract

To reassess the long-term camouflage effects of resin infiltration (Icon, DMG, Hamburg, Germany) of white spot lesions (WSL) and sound adjacent enamel (SAE) achieved in a previous trial. The null hypothesis was tested that there were no significantly different CIE-L*a*b*-ΔE-values between WSL and SAE areas of assessment after at least 24 months (T24) compared to those at baseline (T0). Of twenty subjects who received previous resin infiltration treatment of nteeth = 111 nonrestored, noncavitated postorthodontic WSL after multibracket treatment during a randomized controlled trial and were contacted 20 months after baseline, eight subjects (trial teeth nteeth = 40; m/f ratio 1/7; age range (mean; SD) 12-17 [15.25; 2.12] years); response rate: 40%) were available for follow-up after at least 24 months (T24). CIE-L*a*b* differences between summarized color and lightness values (ΔEWSL/SAE) of WSL and SAE were assessed using a spectrophotometer and compared to baseline data assessed prior to infiltration (T0), and those after 6 (T6), and 12 (T12) months using paired t tests at a significance level of α = 5%. T24 assessments were performed after a mean 33.86 (SD: 8.64; Min: 24; Max: 45) months following T0. Mean (SD) ΔEWSL/SAE units of available teeth were 8.76 (5.33) at baseline; 5.5 (2.75) at T6; 5.2 (2.41) at T12; and 5.57 (2.6) at T24. Comparisons of T6, T12, and T24 with T0 yielded highly significant differences, whereas T6-T24 and T12-T24 differences were found to be not significant. Assimilation of infiltrated WSL to the color of adjacent enamel by resin infiltration is considered to be suitable for the long-term improvement in the esthetic appearance of postorthodontic WSL.