Prevalence of "White Spots" Around Orthodontic Brackets: A Clinical Study

Abstract

Aim: To determine the prevalence of white spot lesions in orthodontic patients treated with fixed or-thodontic appliances at different treatment periods and to reveal the teeth most commonly affected by white spot lesions. Materials and Methods: Forty eight patients (31 females and 17 males) treated with fixed orthodontic appliance were included in this study. The patients were examined for the pres-ence of white spot before insertion of the appliance and after its removal using visual examination. Results: This study showed that there was a significant increase in the formation of white spot lesions along with the increase in treatment duration in male group, while females showed no significant dif-ference in white spots at different durations. The first molars were the most affected teeth by white spots followed by canines and second premolars. Conclusion: This clinical study showed that the teeth in buccal segment were affected by white spots more than incisors and the prevalence of white spots increased when the duration of treatment increased.

Keywords

• : enamel demineralization
• white spots