Management of Enamel White Spot Lesions

Abstract

Dental caries is a highly prevalent multifactorial disease and is a major public health problem. A goal of modern dentistry is to manage enamel white spot lesions noninvasively and effectively an attempt to prevent disease progression and improve esthetics, strength and function. The progression of caries has been tried to be curbed at initial stage only but for that only use of fluoride application was suggested but with recent developments in dental materials other remineralization options as well as noninvasive masking procedure can be performed to attain best result. This article reviews all the materials and techniques mentioned in the literature to manage the world's most common disease in its initial stage only.

Comparative Histological Study of Two Different Pulp Capping Agents in Rabbits Teeth

“…Recently, several studies were carried out to investigate the mechanism of efficacy of natural herbal medicines such as GCE as anti-cariogenic materials [27] . GCE is a promising new remineralizing therapeutic strategy; it proved its ability of modulating the mineral balance of the hard tooth structure at initial stages of caries [28] . Moreover, it might be promptly incorporated into endodontic irrigants and dentin adhesives due to its biocompatibility as well as biochemical and biomechanical properties [29] .…”

Enamel Surface Quality Improvement in White Spot Lesions After Orthodontic Treatment Using a Microabrasion Technique With Fluoride or Calcium Phosphopeptide-Amorphous Calcium Phosphate Application

“…The surface roughness of the enamel has been closely related to the adhesion ability of Streptococcus mutans bacteria on the surface of the enamel [5,8,12]. The attachment of S. mutans bacteria to the enamel surface was identified as one of the main factors in the formation of dental plaque, which is an early cause of white spot lesions that might progress into caries [5,13].…”

Effect of sodium fluoride plus tricalcium phosphate with and without CO2 laser on remineralization of white spot lesions

“…The management of WSLs can be divided into remineralization techniques, noninvasive infiltration and surface alternation of the lesion [ 6 ]. Remineralization techniques can be categorized into fluoride and non-fluoride remineralization systems, noninvasive infiltration as resin infiltration techniques and surface alternation as hard tissue lasers [ 6 , 7 ].Remineralization can be defined as the process whereby calcium and phosphate ions are supplied from a source external to the tooth to produce net mineral gain by promoting ions deposition into crystal voids in demineralized enamel [ 8 ].…”

“…Beneath the melted surfaces, there is a significant increase in inter- and intra-crystalline voids. The new chemical products in the melted enamel structure are less resistant to acid attack than is enamel hydroxyapatite [ 6 , 17 ].…”