Developmental defects of enamel and dental caries in the primary dentition: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectivesThis systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the association between developmental defects of enamel and dental caries in the primary dentition.SourcesElectronic searches were performed in PubMed, Web of Knowledge, Scopus and Scielo for the identification of relevant studies.Study selectionObservational studies that examined the association between developmental defects of enamel and dental caries in the deciduous dentition were included. Additionally, meta-analysis, funnel plots and sensitivity analysis were employed to synthesize the available evidence. Multivariable meta-regression analysis was performed to explore heterogeneity among studies.DataA total of 318 articles were identified in the electronic searches. Of those, 16 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Pooled estimates revealed that children with developmental defects of enamel had higher odds of having dental caries (OR 3.32; 95%CI 2.41-4.57), with high heterogeneity between studies (I2 80%). Methodological characteristic of the studies, such as where it was conducted, the examined teeth and the quality of the study explained about 30% of the variability. Concerning type of defect, children with hypoplasia and diffuse opacities had higher odds of having dental caries (OR 4.28; 95%CI 2.24-8.15; OR1.42; 95%CI 1.15-1.76, respectively).ConclusionsThis systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrates a clear association between developmental defects of enamel and dental caries in the primary dentition.