Molar – incisor hypomineralization: a literature review

 

Danielė Oleinikaitė1, Živilė Oleinikaitė1, Urtė Mackevičiūtė1

1 Faculty of Odontology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania

Abstract

            Molar – incisor hypomineralization is a non carious dental lesion which affects from one to four permanent molars and incisors can be involved or not involved. This condition present demarcated opacities, which can vary from white to brown colour. Molar – incisor hypomineralization occur after eruption of permanent molars and incisors. Although this defect is wide spread the causative mechanism is not fully revealed. Molar – incisor hypomineralization can develop after exposure to environmental pollutants in the last third of pregnancy, when amelogenesis can be disturbed, or whithin forst three years of child’s life after birth. This lesion causes hypersensitivity of the affected teeth because of which cold, hot or sweet drinks and food can be difficult to consume, affect aesthetics and also function – hypomineralized teeth are at a high risk of caries development, which leads to destruction of hard tissues. Early diagnostic of molar – incisor hypomineralization is of a high importance, that conservative treatment would still be possible and radical treatment and extraction could be avoided. This review reveals key aspects of cause, diagnostic, clinic, severity and treatment options of molar – incisor hypomineralization.

Keywords: molar incisor hypomineralization; MIH; hypoplasia.