Orthodontic treatment may cause an increase in the rate of enamel decalcification on tooth surfaces, producing White Spot Lesions (WSL). Orthodontic patients are at a higher risk for decalcification because orthodontic appliances retain food debris which leads to increased plaque formation. Dental plaque, an oral biofilm formed by factors including genetics, diet, hygiene, and environment, contains acid producing bacterial strains with a predominance of Mutans Streptococcus (MS). MS and others metabolize oral carbohydrates during ingestion, the byproducts of which acidify the biofilm to begin a process of enamel decalcification and formation of WSL. This study tests if patients in orthodontic treatment at Temple University can be used as subjects for further longitudinal study of WSL risk factors. Twenty patients between the ages of ten to eighteen after three months or greater of treatment were enrolled to determine if duration of treatment, hygiene, sense of coherence, obesity, diet frequencies, age and gender correlated with development of WSL. Of these, age is positively correlated with the number of untreated decayed surfaces. WSL and plaque levels may negatively correlate with increased brushing frequency and duration, while flossing frequency demonstrated a statistically significant negative correlation. This population may be suitable for further study because of its high incidence of WSL (75%), however difficulty in enrollment and patient attrition necessitates that future studies be modified. / Oral Biology
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TEMPLE/oai:scholarshare.temple.edu:20.500.12613/2879 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Franks, David |
| Contributors | Sciote, James J., Godel, Jeffrey H., Tellez Merchán, Marisol |
| Publisher | Temple University. Libraries |
| Source Sets | Temple University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation, Text |
| Format | 98 pages |
| Rights | IN COPYRIGHT- This Rights Statement can be used for an Item that is in copyright. Using this statement implies that the organization making this Item available has determined that the Item is in copyright and either is the rights-holder, has obtained permission from the rights-holder(s) to make their Work(s) available, or makes the Item available under an exception or limitation to copyright (including Fair Use) that entitles it to make the Item available., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
| Relation | http://dx.doi.org/10.34944/dspace/2861, Theses and Dissertations |
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