[Studies on developmental enamel defects in the primary dentition of children with histories of low birth weight and prematurity and their susceptibility to dental caries].

OBJECTIVE: From the clinical and experimental aspects, to study the susceptibility of dental enamel defects to dental caries in the primary dentition.
METHODS: One hundred and seventy-six children (aged 3-8) with histories of low birth weight and premature birth were studied about the relationship of dental enamel defect to caries. Four exfoliated hypoplastic anterior deciduous teeth were studied about the solubility of dental enamel in order to compare the solubility of the defective enamel with that of the normal enamel in the same teeth.
RESULTS: The prevalence of both enamel opacity and enamel hypoplasia was significantly interrelated to prevalence of dental caries in those particular teeth. The solubility of the hypoplastic enamel powder was higher than that of the normal enamel in the same teeth. It took shorter time for the hypoplastic enamel powder to attain an equilibrium than the normal did.
CONCLUSION: The defective enamel was much easier attacked by caries.