What question did this study set out to answer?

Evaluate the impact of fixed appliances and clear aligners on white spot lesions and the DMFT index.

March 26, 2026Open Access

Comparative Analysis of White Spot Lesions and DMFT Index in Patients Treated with Fixed Appliances, Clear Aligners, and Untreated Individuals

Key Points

Evaluate the impact of fixed appliances and clear aligners on white spot lesions and the DMFT index.
Divided 120 patients (ages 14-30) into three groups: fixed appliances (FA), clear aligners (CA), and control.
Conducted clinical examinations and panoramic radiography at baseline and after treatment.
Analyzed data with statistical tests including ANOVA, t-test, and chi-square.
FA group had significant increases in decayed teeth and DMFT scores after treatment.
CA group showed lower rates of white spot lesions compared to FA group.
Control group maintained fewer issues with DMFT index and WSL formation.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of fixed appliances (FA), clear aligners (CA), and no treatment on white spot lesion (WSL) formation and the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index.Materials and Methods: A total of 120 patients aged 14-30 years were divided into three groups: FA (n=40), CA (n=40), and control (n=40). The DMFT index and WSL counts were recorded at baseline (T1) and after treatment (T2) using clinical examinations, panoramic radiography, and standardized photographs. All data were analyzed using SPSS with appropriate statistical tests (ANOVA, t-test, chi-square, McNemar-Bowker).Results: The FA group showed significant increases in decayed teeth and DMFT scores (p

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Comparative Analysis of White Spot Lesions and DMFT Index in Patients Treated with Fixed Appliances, Clear Aligners, and Untreated Individuals

Key Points

Abstract

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