[Incidence of enamel fissures in a group of orthodontic patients. In vivo study].

In this paper, the Authors researched the frequence of enamel fissures in a group of 75 individuals. Particular attention was dedicated to the search of such anomalies on teeth treated with multibracket orthodontic appliances, in order to prove a causal nexus between the fissures and the appliances used. After a long term experience, it was found that enamel fissures are a frequent found in almost 60% of the sample examined; moreover, the Authors cannot prove an increment of cracks in subjects treated with multibracket appliances. It was concluded that the whole of the fissures founded, would be considered as preexistent to the positioning of the brackets, even if it cannot be excluded that an excessive torque, or an inadequate debonding technique couldn't produce a mechanical stress on the enamel surface capable to enhance such cracks.