Time expended on managing molar incisor hypomineralization in a pediatric dental clinic in Nigeria

Abstract This study assessed the difference in the number of visits made to a dental care clinic and the time spent providing specific dental treatment for children with and without molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH). Children aged 8 to 16 years who presented at the Pediatric Dental Unit of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, were eligible for the study. A comprehensive medical and dental history was taken, and each child was clinically examined, diagnosed, and treated according to a drawn-up plan. The time taken to establish a diagnosis and to provide specific treatments (scaling and polishing, restoration, pulpectomy, extraction, and placement of stainless steel crowns) and the number of visits made to complete the treatment plan were recorded for each child. Differences in the number of visits, time expended to make a diagnosis and to treat children with and without MIH were analyzed. The average time for diagnosis (p = 0.001) and the average time for placing amalgam restorations (p = 0.008) were significantly longer in children with MIH than in those without it. Children with MIH made more visits to the clinic (p < 0.001).There was no significant difference in the average time for scaling and polishing (p = 0.08), glass ionomer cement restorations (p = 0.99), composite restorations (p = 0.26), pulpectomy (p = 0.42), tooth extraction (p = 0.06), and placement of a stainless steel crown (p = 0.83) in children with and without MIH. In conclusion, children with MIH required more time for oral health care. Placing amalgam restorations took significantly longer than placing tooth bonding restorative materials in children with MIH than in those without it.

摘要 本研究评估了伴与不伴磨牙切牙矿化不全（molar incisor hypomineralization，MIH）的儿童前往牙科诊所的就诊次数差异，以及为其提供特定牙科治疗所花费的时间。研究纳入尼日利亚伊莱伊费市奥巴费米·阿沃洛沃大学教学医院复合体儿童牙科门诊的8~16岁儿童。研究者收集了受试者完整的医疗与牙科病史，对每名儿童进行临床检查、诊断，并按照拟定的治疗方案实施治疗；记录每名儿童的诊断耗时、实施特定治疗（洁治抛光、充填术、牙髓摘除术、拔牙及不锈钢冠修复）的耗时，以及完成整套治疗方案所需的就诊次数。分析两组儿童的就诊次数、诊断及治疗耗时的差异。结果显示，伴MIH儿童的平均诊断耗时（p=0.001）与银汞合金充填平均耗时（p=0.008）均显著长于不伴MIH儿童；伴MIH儿童的就诊次数更多（p<0.001）。两组儿童在洁治抛光（p=0.08）、玻璃离子水门汀充填（p=0.99）、复合树脂充填（p=0.26）、牙髓摘除术（p=0.42）、拔牙（p=0.06）及不锈钢冠修复（p=0.83）的平均耗时上均无显著差异。结论：伴MIH儿童的口腔医疗照护所需总耗时更长；伴MIH儿童的银汞合金充填操作耗时显著长于牙粘结修复材料修复，且该差异在非MIH儿童中未出现。