Evaluation of Dominance of White Spot Lesions after Fixed Orthodontic Treatment

Aim: In this study we assessed on the teeth and in the mouth the prevalence of WSL in a group of patients at the end of fixed orthodontic treatment. Materials and methods: A group of 40 patients at the end of fixes orthodontic treatment is considered, analyzing a total of 1117 teeth. A visual inspection was first carried out on the moist surface of each tooth evaluating three areas: mesiobuccal, buccal and distobuccal; later the analysis was repeated after drying the surfaces of the teeth with a jet of air for five seconds. To classify the characteristics of WSL four codes were used: Code 0: no or slight change in enamel translucency after prolonged drying. Code 1: opacity particularly evident on the wet surface, but distinctly noticeable on dry surface. Code 2: opacity distinctly visible without drying. Code 3: localized enamel cracking or discoloration of the enamel. Results: The prevalence of the WSL in the mouth and on the surfaces of the teeth was respectively 90% and 39%, with their presence on the 15% of each of the analyzed surface. Conclusions: It has demonstrated a high prevalence of WSL in patients at the end of fixed orthodontic treatment. However, it is not evenly distributed on the teeth. About 30% of them have been classified with codes 1 and 2, mostly borne by the molars and premolars surface.