Prevalence, Clinical Distribution, and Severity of Molar Incisor Hypomineralisation in Gaziantep: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58600/eurjther3114Keywords:
children, enamel defects, epidemiology, molar incisor hypomineralisation, prevalenceAbstract
Objective: Considering the growing clinical importance of molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH), this study aimed to determine its prevalence, distribution, and severity in children aged 8–12 years in Gaziantep, Türkiye.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1,067 children aged 8–12 years who presented to the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Gaziantep University in 2026. MIH was diagnosed and classified according to the European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry criteria. Clinical examinations were performed by two calibrated examiners. Demographic characteristics, lesion severity, tooth type, and arch distribution were recorded. Associations were analyzed using chi-square tests, and correlations were evaluated using Spearman’s rank correlation test (p < 0.05).
Results: The prevalence of MIH was 27.6% (n = 295). No significant differences were observed by gender or age. Of 1,906 MIH-affected teeth, 60.0% were first permanent molars and 40.0% were incisors. Severe lesions were more frequent in molars (54.2%), whereas incisors were predominantly mild (87.3%) (p < 0.001). The lower-left first permanent molar was the most frequently affected tooth, and maxillary central incisors showed a clear predominance. A weak but significant correlation was found between the number of affected molars and incisors (rs = 0.127, p = 0.029). Incisor involvement increased significantly with increasing molar severity (p = 0.005), and a moderate positive correlation was observed between molar and incisor severity scores (rs=0.338, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: MIH appears to be a common and clinically relevant condition in this population. The predominance of severe lesions in molars and their association with incisor involvement highlight the need for early detection and targeted preventive strategies in pediatric dental practice.
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