Quantitative evaluation of masking effect of resin infiltration on developmental defects of enamel.

OBJECTIVE

Qualitative developmental defects of enamel (DDEs) are characterized by an intact hypermineralized surface enamel layer and a porous subsurface hypomineralized layer. This structure is similar to natural early caries lesions, which are effectively arrested by resin infiltration, a micro-invasive clinical procedure. An additional reported effect in early enamel caries is recovery of enamel translucency. Due to structural similarities, a similar mechanism is expected in qualitative DDEs. The objective of the present study was to observe quantitative color masking of qualitative DDEs when subjected to resin infiltration.

METHOD AND MATERIALS

A total of 70 selected enamel defects were subjected to resin infiltration in a nonrandomized study design. Each defect was subjected to photographic imaging using a digital camera both pre- and post-intervention. Each image was assessed using ImageJ digital software (National Institutes of Health) for CIE Lab coordinates.

RESULTS

There were significant changes observed in Lab coordinates of all DDEs, when subjected to resin infiltration.

CONCLUSION

The resin infiltration intervention was successful in masking the "white" opaque discolorations of developmentally affected enamel.