Enamel Defects and Developmental Dental Anomalies in Children: Etiology, Diagnosis, and Management

Pediatric dental research has increasingly focused on enamel defects and developmental dental anomalies because of their high prevalence and long-term consequences for children’s oral health and well-being. Of particular interest are developmental defects of enamel, including molar incisor hypomineralization (MH) or molar incisor hypo mineralization (MIH), amelogenesis imperfecta, enamel hypoplasia, diffuse opacities such as fluorosis, and other developmental dental anomalies affecting tooth number, shape, and eruption. Within this landscape, MH is best understood as a molar-involving disorder characterized by idiopathic demarcated enamel opacities, with other teeth sometimes involved, and with marked implications for pain, post-eruptive breakdown, caries risk, restoration failure, and quality of life.Recent work has highlighted the need for stronger phenotyping and classification of enamel defects, especially clear distinction between case-level disorders and tooth-level pathology, and between demarcated opacities of likely systemic origin and those arising from local causes. In this context, harmonized terminology has become important for epidemiology, diagnosis, translational research, and clinical decision-making across the primary and permanent dentitions.This Research Topic aims to provide an interdisciplinary platform for cutting-edge research on enamel defects and developmental dental anomalies in children, with emphasis on robust phenotyping, mechanistic understanding, early diagnosis, and tailored management. We welcome work spanning clinical genetics, pediatric dentistry, oral biology, public health, epidemiology, digital diagnostics, and translational science.We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Translating scientific findings into societal benefit, with a focus on public communication, awareness, advocacy, education, and engagement with industry and government- Classification and phenotyping of developmental defects of enamel, including demarcated opacity disorders, fluorosis, hypoplasia and amelogenesis imperfecta- Epidemiology, natural history, and lifecourse patterns of molar hypomineralization across primary and permanent dentitions- Etiological studies of perinatal, nutritional, environmental, systemic, and genetic contributors to enamel defects- Distinction between idiopathic systemic and local causes of demarcated opacities, including work relevant to incisor involvement- Genetic architecture, genotype-phenotype correlations, and clinical applications in amelogenesis imperfecta and related syndromes- Prevention and management strategies for hypomineralized and structurally compromised teeth- Child-centered outcomes including pain, quality of life, restorative burden, and health disparities- Digital and AI-assisted approaches to diagnosis, recording, and decision support for enamel defect Topic editors: GIANNI DI GIORGIO, Ping Zhang, Shinan Zhang, Flavia Iaculli Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/78544/enamel-defects-and-developmental-dental-anomalies-in-children-etiology-diagnosis-and-management