Abstract
Introduction, aim: Preterm infants with very low birth - weights (VLBW) and extremely low birth - weights (ELBW) suffer from several prenatal and neonatal complications and morbidity that may affect mineralization of primary teeth and occurrence of developmental defects of enamel (DDE). The aim of the study was to establish relationship between gender of infant, gestational age, birth - weight and frequency of laryngoscopies and occurrence of DDE in primary incisors in preterm one - year old infants delivered with very low birth - weight (VLBW) and extremely low birth - weight (ELBW).
Methods: The case - control study was realized in 132 one - year old preterm infants delivered with VLBW and ELBW and data were compared with 58 NBW full term infants. The data were obtained from hospital records, from interview with mothers and from intraoral examination of infants.
The data were statistically analyzed using chi - square test and multifactorial logistic regression analysis in order to find possible risk factors associated with the occurrence of DDE. The statistical significance level p < 0.05 was established.
Results: The case cohort (A) consists of 62 boys (47%) and 70 girls (53%) with mean gestational age 28.8 weeks and mean birth - weight 1119.7 g. The controls (B) were 24 girls (34.5%) and 34 boys (65,5%) with mean gestational age 39.6 weeks and mean birth - weight 3418,6 g.
ELBW was associated with DDE in primary incisors (p = 0.009). DDE were more frequent in boys (p = 0.054) and in infants with low gestational age (p = 0.22) but no significant statistical relationship was found.
Concerning the possible local cause of DDE, this study has found that infants with higher frequency of laryngoscopies showed a higher prevalence of DDE (p = 0.053) but no statistical relationship was found. Conclusion: Various local and systemic factors of DDE act probably together and therefore it is very difficult to identify the aetiological factor strongly related to DDE.