Objective: This cross-sectional study compared the caries experience in 15-year-olds with and without demarcated hypomineralised lesions (DHL) in permanent teeth.
Material and methods: One thousand three hundred and two 15-year-old adolescents from two ongoing birth cohorts (GINIplus15 and LISAplus15) were examined to determine non-cavitated carious lesions (NCCL) and the DMF index. Furthermore, DHL was scored on all permanent teeth/surfaces according to the molar-incisor hypomineralisation criteria of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (MIH/EAPD). Adolescents with DHL were categorised into those with a minimum of one DHL in the permanent dentition (DHL ≥ 1), with DHL on at least one first permanent molar (MIH/EAPD) and with DHL on at least one first permanent molar and permanent incisor (MIH/Severe). The study was conducted in the metropolitan area of Munich.
Results: The proportion of children without caries amounted to 63.7% (DMF > 0) and 26.0% (D1-4MF > 0); the caries experience was mean = 4.0(SD = 5.2) NCCL/T and 0.9(1.7) DMF/T. Existence of DHL ≥ 1, MIH/EAPD and MIH/Severe was detected in 40.2, 17.2 and 9.8% of all adolescents, respectively. The corresponding DMF/T values were: no DHL 0.9(1.7); DHL ≥ 1 1.0(1.7); MIH/EAPD 1.1(1.6); MIH/Severe 1.1(1.7). The group of adolescents with MIH/EAPD and MIH/Severe were found to have statistically higher caries rates in comparison to those with no DHL.
Conclusions: Caries and DHL are prevalent and influenced the dental health of 15-year-old adolescents. A significant positive association existed between the presence of caries and DHL.
Clinical relevance: Children with MIH/EAPD or MIH/Severe had a higher probability to develop carious lesions in the permanent dentition.
Keywords: Caries; Caries experience; Demarcated hypomineralised lesions; Developmental defects; Enamel hypomineralisation; Epidemiology; Molar-incisor-hypomineralisation; Prevalence.