Resin Infiltration for Anterior Teeth Affected by Molar Incisor Hypomineralization in Children and Adolescents: A Clinical Study of Color Masking, Sensitivity, and Aesthetic Perception: A Prospective Single-Arm Interventional Clinical Study

TL;DR

Resin infiltration improves the appearance and sensitivity of front teeth affected by MIH in children and adolescents, with benefits lasting at least six months.

Contribution

This study provides a rare prospective clinical evaluation of resin infiltration for anterior MIH lesions, emphasizing patient-centered aesthetic outcomes.

Findings

Resin infiltration significantly improves color parameters and reduces lesion size in anterior MIH teeth.

Patients report substantial aesthetic improvement, though their ratings differ from professional assessments.

Sensitivity decreased in 36.6% of patients following treatment.

Abstract

Resin infiltration is a minimally invasive, conservative, and effective approach for managing anterior MIH opacities, producing measurable improvements in color, lesion size, and hypersensitivity. Aesthetic outcomes and patient self-perception improve rapidly after treatment and remain stable over the 6-month follow-up period.

What are the main findings?

Resin infiltration with Icon significantly improves color parameters (with clinically perceptible ΔE changes), reduces lesion size, and decreases hypersensitivity in anterior teeth affected by MIH.

Patients report a substantial improvement in aesthetic perception following treatment, reaching “good” or “excellent” ratings, although agreement with professional assessments remains low.

What are the implications of the main findings?
Resin infiltration should be considered a first-line, minimally invasive aesthetic treatment option for anterior MIH lesions in children and adolescents, given its clinical efficacy and psychosocial benefits.The findings highlight the importance of incorporating patient-reported aesthetic outcomes into clinical evaluation, as patients and professionals may assess treatment success differently, reinforcing a patient-centered clinical approach

Resin infiltration should be considered a first-line, minimally invasive aesthetic treatment option for anterior MIH lesions in children and adolescents, given its clinical efficacy and psychosocial benefits.

The findings highlight the importance of incorporating patient-reported aesthetic outcomes into clinical evaluation, as patients and professionals may assess treatment success differently, reinforcing a patient-centered clinical approach

Background/objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of resin infiltration in managing anterior molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) defects, focusing on color improvement, lesion size reduction, sensitivity outcomes and patient aesthetic perception. Enamel defects in MIH result from a combination of environmental, systemic, and genetic factors, indicating a multifactorial etiology. These defects, particularly in anterior teeth, pose significant aesthetic and emotional challenges due to their high visibility. This study provides one of the few prospective clinical evaluations of resin infiltration for anterior MIH lesions, assessing not only objective clinical outcomes but also patients’ aesthetic perception. It further introduces a patient-centered approach by comparing aesthetic evaluations made by children and dental professionals over time. Methods: A total of 109 MIH-affected anterior teeth were treated using Icon® resin infiltration (DMG, Hamburg, Germany) in this registered prospective clinical study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05597956). Participants were classified as children (6–12 years) and adolescents (13–17 years) according to standard pediatric age definitions. Of these, 101 teeth were available for evaluation at the 6-month follow-up due to patient loss to follow-up. The evaluation included photographic follow-up, measurement of lesion size and color, and assessment of sensitivity. During follow-up visits, patients rated the appearance of their lesions using the FDI scale. Results: Before treatment, spectrophotometric analysis showed that lesions exhibited a reddish hue (mean a* = 2.12), were distinctly yellowish (mean b* = 23.20), and clearly differed from surrounding enamel (ΔE = 8.62). The brightness level (L* = 69.81) indicated medium-high luminosity. Lesion size was reduced by an average of 4.5 percentage points. Significant increases in L values and reductions in a* and b* components were observed, with clinically perceptible ΔE changes. Sensitivity improved in 36.6% of patients, who reported a 1–2 point decrease on the SCASS. Moreover, patients’ aesthetic perception significantly improved after Icon® infiltration resin. Conclusions: Resin infiltration produced noticeable improvements in color, reduced lesion size and sensitivity, and enhanced aesthetic perception, making it a valuable treatment option for managing MIH-affected anterior teeth in children.

Figures