What is the Difference Between Fluorosis and Enamel Hypoplasia

The key difference between fluorosis and enamel hypoplasia is that fluorosis is characterized by white streaks on the teeth due to consuming too much fluoride, while enamel hypoplasia is characterized by thin or absent enamel due to inherited or acquired conditions.

Fluorosis and enamel hypoplasia are two types of dental enamel defects. Enamel is the thin outer covering of the tooth. This is the hardest tissue in the human body. Enamel normally covers the crown, which is the part of the tooth that is visible outside the gums.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Fluorosis 
3. What is Enamel Hypoplasia
4. Similarities – Fluorosis and Enamel Hypoplasia
5. Fluorosis vs Enamel Hypoplasia in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Fluorosis vs Enamel Hypoplasia

What is Fluorosis?

Fluorosis is a cosmetic condition that affects the teeth due to overexposure to fluoride during the first eight years of life. This is the duration where most of the permanent teeth are being formed. The affected teeth may appear mildly discoloured. Moreover, there may be lacy white markings, which can only be detected by dentists. In severe cases, the teeth may have stains ranging from yellow to dark brown, surface irregularities, and pits that are highly noticeable. The major cause of fluorosis is the inappropriate use of fluoride-containing dental products like toothpaste. Other causes include taking a higher than the prescribed amount of fluoride supplement during childhood.

This enamel condition can be diagnosed through the measurement of urinary and serum fluoride levels, bone biopsy, CT scans, and MRIs. Furthermore, fluorosis treatments include nutritional supplements containing vitamins C and D, antioxidants, and calcium, tooth whitening, bonding, crowns, veneers, and MI paste (calcium phosphate product).

What is Enamel Hypoplasia?

Enamel hypoplasia is an enamel defect in which enamel is deficient in quantity. This happens due to defective enamel matrix formation during enamel development as a result of inherited or acquired conditions. It can affect both baby teeth and permanent teeth. The symptoms may include pits, tiny groves, depressions and fissures, white spots, yellowish-brown stains, sensitivity to heat and cold, lack of tooth contact, susceptibility to acids in food and drink, retention of harmful bacteria, and increased vulnerability to teeth decay and cavities.

Moreover, this condition can be caused by an inherited condition called amelogenesis imperfecta or congenital enamel hypoplasia. The other hereditary conditions that can cause enamel hypoplasia may include Usher syndrome, Seckel syndrome, Ellis van Creveld syndrome, Treacher Collins syndrome, 22q11 deletion syndrome, and Heimler syndrome. Enamel hypoplasia can also be caused by prenatal issues like maternal vitamin D deficiency, maternal weight gain, maternal smoking, maternal drug use, lack of prenatal care, premature birth, and environmental factors like trauma to teeth, infection, calcium deficiency, deficiencies of vitamin A, D, C, jaundice, celiac disease, and cerebral palsy due to maternal or fetal infection.

Enamel hypoplasia is diagnosed through clinical examination according to developmental defects of enamel index (DDE index), operating microscope, fluorescence-based device, and other tests such as the kappa test, McNemar’s test, and Cramer’s test. Furthermore, the treatments for enamel hypoplasia may include resin-bonded sealant, resin-based composite fillings, dental amalgam fillings, gold fillings, crowns, enamel microabrasion, and professional dental whitening.

What are the Similarities Between Fluorosis and Enamel Hypoplasia?

• Fluorosis and enamel hypoplasia are two types of dental enamel defects.
• Both enamel defects occur during enamel development or formation.
• They can be predominately seen in children.
• They are treatable conditions through appropriate dental technologies.

What is the Difference Between Fluorosis and Enamel Hypoplasia?

Fluorosis is an enamel defect characterized by the hypomineralization of tooth enamel due to ingestion of excessive fluoride during enamel formation. Enamel hypoplasia is an enamel defect in which enamel is deficient in quantity due to defective enamel matrix formation during enamel development as a result of inherited or acquired conditions. Thus, this is the key difference between fluorosis and enamel hypoplasia.

The below infographic presents the differences between fluorosis and enamel hypoplasia in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Fluorosis vs Enamel Hypoplasia

Fluorosis and enamel hypoplasia are two types of dental enamel defects. Fluorosis occurs due to hypomineralization of tooth enamel caused by ingestion of excessive fluoride during enamel formation. In enamel hypoplasia, the enamel is deficient in quantity caused by defective enamel matrix formation during enamel development as a result of inherited or acquired conditions. So, this is the summary of the difference between fluorosis and enamel hypoplasia.

Reference:

1. “Fluorosis.” An Overview | ScienceDirect Topics.
2. Pietrangelo, Ann. “Enamel Hypoplasia: Treatment, Causes, Symptoms.” Healthline, Healthline Media.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Dental fluorosis (mild)” By Matthew Ferguson 57 – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Teeth displaying Enamel hypoplasia lines” By Otis Historical Archives Nat'l Museum of Health &  Medicine – Enamel Hypoplasia (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia