Abstract
The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the oral-hygiene regime on the incidence of enamel demineralization in young patients treated with fixed appliances. Research was conducted in a group of 144 patients aged 12–18 years, divided into 2 groups: orthodontically treated and control. The study was divided into three stages: before treatment (I), at 1 month (II), and at 6 months (III) for their follow-up. The International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) was used for the visual assessment of white spot lesions (WSL). After 1 month, no new white spot lesions were observed. After 6 months of the treatment, new lesions were observed in 5% of the orthodontically treated patients and in 6% of the patients in the control group. New decalcifications were located on the proximal surfaces of the central incisors, first premolars, and first molars in the orthodontically treated group; and on the lateral incisors, first premolars, and first molars in the control group. We also observed new enamel demineralization on the vestibular surfaces of the canine and first premolar in the study group. The placement of a fixed appliance did not significantly affect teeth with the presence of new white spot lesions compared to the control group during 6 months of observation.
Highlights
Orthodontic therapy carries the risk of complications
The literature shows that dental caries are the most common complication found by orthodontists
The aim of the study was to evaluate the occurrence of enamel demineralization in young patients treated with fixed appliances
Summary
Orthodontic therapy carries the risk of complications. The literature shows that dental caries are the most common complication found by orthodontists. Fixed appliances may predispose, initiate, or intensify this process because they limit the flow of saliva (which naturally cleanses the teeth), and provide retention places for food remains and debris [1]. Excessive material around orthodontic brackets promotes bacterial growth. Stainless steel is characterized by high-surface tension, which can promote the development and retention of plaque deposits on the surface of the brackets. After the insertion of an appliance, changes in dental plaque are observed: an increase in the amount of carbohydrates, and in the amount of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus bacteria, and a lower resting pH of biofilm
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