5^th American Dental Congress

Biography

Biography: Mohammed Alqarni

Abstract

According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), fluoridation of community drinking water for the prevention of dental caries is considered to be one of the ten most important public health achievements of the 20th century (1999). The use of fluoride provides the most effective method for dental caries prevention and control. Fluoride is important for optimum oral health at all ages. It is made available at the tooth surfaces by two general means: systemically, by way of the circulation to developing teeth, and topically, directly to the exposed surfaces of erupted teeth throughout life. Concurrent with the decline in dental caries has been an increase in the prevalence of dental fluorosis, a side-effect of systemic exposure to greater than optimal levels of fluoride during amelogenins (clark 1994; Mascarenhas 2000; Pendrys 2000). Discoloration of teeth is the most common reason why patients seek treatment of fluorosed teeth. The discoloration may be due to white opacity resulting from enamel hypomineralization. Uptake of extrinsic stains into the porous subsurface enamel may give rise to discoloration which may be yellowish, light brown, dark brown or black (Akpata ES 2014). To restore the natural white creamy enamel appearance, the tooth may be bleached or the subsurface porosities abraded together with the entrapped extrinsic stains, by microabrasion or macroabrasion. If the subsurface porosities are so deep-seated that they cannot be easily removed by microabrasion without causing hypersensitivity or resulting in unaesthetic tooth morphology, the enamel surface is veneered with porcelain or resin composite. Where more than 50% of surface enamel has been lost as a result of fluorosis, the remaining enamel may be insufficient for adhesive bonding; in which case, the fluorosed tooth may have to be crowned (Akpata ES 2014).