Objective and subjective aesthetic performance of icon® treatment for enamel hypomineralization lesions in young adolescents: A retrospective single center study

Objectives An evaluation method is proposed to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the clinical outcome of the enamel hypomineralization treatment with infiltrative resin in young adolescents. The aesthetic outcome is assessed before and after treatment by visual evaluation using FDI-colour match criteria and by spectrophotometric analysis using the CIEDE2000 colour difference formula. The visual (subjective) results are compared with the spectrophotometric (objective) approach. Materials and methods 76 teeth of patients of Sapienza University (Rome, Italy) presenting early caries lesions and/or developmental defect of enamel on the labial surface of clinical crown were subjected to resin infiltration. Three observers evaluated the aesthetic appearance of the teeth before and after treatment using FDI-colour match criteria. The spectrophotometric colour difference between the affected and sound enamel in each tooth was calculated before and after resin infiltration. A correlation between FDI criteria and the calculated CIEDE2000 colour difference (ΔE00) was performed. Results Mean FDI scores and ΔE00, evaluated before and after treatment, were large in all sample. A clear correlation was detected between visual inspections and spectrophotometric colour difference of clinical outcomes. Conclusions On the basis of the present study results, the aesthetic outcome of resin infiltration proved to be highly effective, both with visual qualitative and spectrophotometric quantitative assessment. Clinical relevance statement Hypomineralized enamel colour abnormalities affect patients’ quality of life, therefore tissue preservative cosmetic treatments are requested. An evaluation method of resin infiltration clinical outcome by visual evaluation and spectrophotometry is proposed.