Effect of Interdental Enamel Reduction on Clinical Attachment Loss, Bleeding on Probing, and Incidence of Caries in Treating Class I Malocclusion Cases: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

IntroductionInterdental Enamel Reduction (IER) is a clinical procedure that reduces the mesiodistal size of permanent teeth by enamel removal and anatomical re-contouring. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of IER on patients' gingival health status, including clinical attachment loss (CAL) and bleeding on probing (BOP). Furthermore, in this study, the incidence of caries after IER with or without fluoride therapy was evaluated. MethodsIn this retrospective cohort study, 90 patients who had started and completed their orthodontic treatment within the past two years were divided into three groups as follows: In group 1, patients had received interproximal stripping on their anterior mandibular teeth. Patients in group 2 had also received interproximal stripping on their mandibular anterior teeth and topical fluoride had been applied after IER. Patients in group 3 had only received orthodontic treatment without any interproximal stripping. Then, patients were examined for CAL, BOP, and incidence of caries. ResultsCAL for patients in the IER and control groups were 2.06±0.18 and 2.08±0.16, respectively. Also, BOP for patients in the IER and control groups were 3.01±0.14 and 3.05±0.19, respectively. Incidences of caries, BOP, and CAL were not significantly different between the group of patients who received IER and the control group (P>0.05). Moreover, the incidence of caries was not significantly different between the patients who received topical fluoride after IER and those who did not receive fluoride (P=0.999). ConclusionInterproximal stripping of mandibular anterior teeth before orthodontic treatment does not significantly increase the incidence of caries, BOP, and CAL. Moreover, the application of topical fluoride after IER has no significant effect on the incidence of caries.

The Role of Interproximal Reduction (IPR) in Clear Aligner Therapy: A Critical Analysis of Indications, Techniques, and Outcomes

“…The absence of periodontal problems is also confirmed by a systematic review from Gómez-Aguirre et al [9]. Shalchi et al in their retrospective study likewise excluded an effect of IPR on attachment loss and bleeding on probing [52].…”