Abstract

Background: Deciduous-Molar-Hypomineralisation (DMH) is defined as demarcated opacities affecting second primary molars. Due to anatomical co-localisation and overlapping development, it has been suggested that DMH might be used as a predictor of Molar Hypomineralisation (MH), a prevalent enamel defect of 6- year-old molars that causes increased caries risk for affected children. As MH aetiology remains unknown, clinical detection of risk factors of MH is needed to establish early dental-care mea- sures, in an effort to prevent and limit pathological sequelae. Aim: To determine the prevalence of DMH and its relationship with MH in 6-to-9-year-old children. Design: This cross-sectional study with appropriate ethical approval included 207 children who received dental care at the Dental Clinics Centre of the University of Talca, Chile. Clinical check-up was undertaken by a DMH/MH-calibrated examiner (Kappa = 0.865/0.855). Exact Binominal Test was used to deter- mine prevalence and relative risk (RR) between DMH and MH. Results: The prevalence of DMH and MH was 28% and 32.3% at child level and 13.4% and 20.4% at molar level, respectively. The risk for MH based on DMH presence was statistically significant at child (RR 2.21, CI 1.52–3.21) and molar levels per quad- rant (Molar 1.6/RR 3.64 CI 2.18–6.07; 2.6/RR 3.06 CI 1.89–4.95; 3.6/RR 2.65 CI 1.46–4.80; 4.6/RR 2.54 CI 1.45–4.46). Conclusion: DMH-affected children are at higher risk of develop- ing MH. Thus, DMH presence may be used as a clinical predictor of MH in the studied population. The validation of these findings in a larger population need further research.