Developmental enamel defects: a must-know for orthodontic practice.

INTRODUCTION: Developmental Enamel Defects (DED) pose a significant challenge for clinicians, particularly orthodontists. These defects can lead to difficulties in differential diagnosis, orthodontic appliance adhesion, treatment planning, and overall patient management. OBJECTIVE: The present review aims to provide orthodontists with a comprehensive understanding of DED and their implications for orthodontic treatment. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies on DED and their orthodontic management. RESULTS: The available evidence, primarily from laboratory-based studies, is of low to moderate quality. The most challenging DED cases involve structural loss, especially in molars severely affected by molar-incisor hypomineralization (MIH) and certain types of amelogenesis imperfecta. CONCLUSIONS: To address the limitations of current research, well-designed clinical studies are needed to investigate various aspects of DED management, including pre-treatment of affected enamel, adhesive techniques for bracket bonding and removal, extraction of molars affected by MIH, and interdisciplinary collaboration among dental specialists. By advancing the understanding of DED and refining treatment strategies, orthodontists can improve the outcomes for patients with these conditions.