Polarized Light Study of Enamel and Dentin Dysplasia

Twelve teeth from three patients with enamel and dentin dysplasia were investigated by polarized light microscopy. Clinically and ra-diographically, the changes were similar to amelogenesis imperfect. Polarized light ex-amination revealed poorly mineralized en-amel and regions of dysplastic globular mas-ses in enamel. The dentinal tubules were sparse, irregular, and tortuous. According to Finn, ' hereditary anomalies of tooth color can be classified as brown hypo-plasia of enamel and hereditary opalescent dentin. The term "amelogenesis imperfecta" was coined by Weinmann et a12 to describe anomalies of the enamel. Such anomalies can be classified as enamel hypoplasia and enamel hypocalcification. In hereditary opalescent dentin, only dentin is affected; the enamel structure is normal, the roots are short and blunt, and pulp chambers and root canals are partially or completely obliterated.3 4 In amelogenesis imperfecta, also referred to as hereditary enamel dysplasia,5 only enamel is affected; roots are normal and pulp chambers and root canals are usually present.5-8 There are remarkably few significant studies of amelogenesis imperfecta that correlate clini-cal and radiologic features with appropriate histopathologic analysis.2,9-11 The majority of authors have dealt only with the clinical and radiologic features of this disease.5-S In the present study, the condition in three children was clinically and radiographically similar to amelogenesis imperfecta; histo-pathologically, there was dysplasia of the en-amel and dentin. This study was done to in-vestigate the dental tissues with the polarized light microscope