Developmental Defects of Enamel in the Pediatric Population Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kashmir: A Hospital-Based Prevalence Study.

Background Developmental defects of enamel (DDE) are disturbances that occur during amelogenesis and may affect the quantity or quality of enamel. These defects may predispose affected teeth to dental sensitivity, caries, and esthetic concerns. Limited epidemiological data are available regarding the prevalence of DDE among Kashmiri children. Objective This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and distribution of DDE among children aged 3-12 years in the Kashmiri population using the modified DDE Index. Methods A hospital-based cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted among children aged 3-12 years attending the outpatient department (OPD) of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry at Government Dental College and Hospital, Srinagar, India. A total of 10,070 children were examined over a period of seven months. The modified DDE Index was used to assess enamel defects in both primary and permanent dentition. Buccal/labial, lingual/palatal, and occlusal/incisal surfaces were examined. Demographic variables, including age group as well as dentition type (primary and permanent), were recorded to evaluate their association with the prevalence and distribution of enamel defects. Data were analyzed using Python version 3.8 (Python Software Foundation, Fredericksburg, VA), and a chi-square test was applied for statistical analysis. Chi-square test of independence demonstrated a statistically significant association between DDE prevalence and dentition type (primary and permanent dentition) (p = 0.0001). Results Among the 10,070 children examined, 1,208 children demonstrated DDE involving 3,308 teeth. The prevalence of DDE was highest in the 9-12-year age group (2570, 77.69%), followed by the 6-9-year age group (696, 21.03%) and the 3-6-year age group (42, 1.2%). Permanent incisors were the most commonly affected teeth (2162, 65.35%), followed by permanent molars (754, 22.79%). Demarcated opacities (DEO) were the most prevalent enamel defect (816, 49.28%), followed by hypoplasia (408, 24.64%) and diffuse opacities (DIO) (324, 19.57%). Chi-square analysis demonstrated a statistically significant association between age groups (3-6, 6-9, and 9-12 years) and the distribution of DDE (p < 0.05). It also revealed a statistically significant variation in the distribution of developmental enamel defects between primary and permanent dentition and across different categories of permanent teeth, including molars, canines, premolars, and incisors (χ² = 361.92, p < 0.0001). Conclusion DDE was predominantly observed in permanent incisors and molars among Kashmiri children, with DEO being the most common defect type. The findings highlight the need for preventive and early intervention strategies to reduce the burden of DDE in pediatric populations.