Status of research on diagnostic and treatment strategies for enamel hypoplasia

Enamel hypoplasia is a disease that results in enamel formation and mineralization abnormalities due to the effects of hereditary or environmental variables during tooth development. Affected teeth may appear to have an aberrant color and structural flaws. Patients often display clinical signs such as tooth defects, tooth sensitivity, and tooth discoloration. The disease can cause patients to feel physically and mentally uncomfortable and negatively impact their ability to chew, swallow, speak, and smile. In this review, the pathophysiology of enamel hypoplasia, which is caused by anomalies in gene regulation and changes in environmental variables, is summarized, along with a list of clinical diagnostic indicators based on the most commonly used disease classifications. The main points are as follows: ① enamel hypoplasia changes only the color and transparency of the affected teeth; ② lesions often occur symmetrically in groups; ③ the age at which systemic diseases or nutritional disorders occur during tooth development can be predicted based on the patient's impaired teeth; and ④ banded or pitted brown depression on the enamel surface can easily be confused with dental fluorosis. It also elaborates on the comprehensive application of tooth bleaching, desensitization, direct or indirect restoration and other treatment modalities according to unique chief complaints by different patients and suggests the use of multidisciplinary cooperative sequential treatment for critical infants and young children. The goal of this review is to provide professionals with the most recent information and advice about enamel hypoplasis. Current literature on this condition is primarily case reports. To further standardize the diagnostic and management approaches for this disease, additional high-quality clinical research and systematic reviews are required.