An investigation on the relationship between the type of delivery and enamel defects of the first permanent molars

Statement of Problem: Previous experiences and clinical observations indicate that enamel hypoplasia and hypocalcification of first permanent molars, among infants born in Cessarian Section Delivery (C/S) is more common than those born in Normal Vaginal Delivery (NVD). Moreover, the first permanent molar is the only tooth that its "cusp tip calcification" starts exactly at the time of delivery. The aim of this research was to investigate the relationship between delivery type and clinical feature of the first permanent molar. Meanwhile, the different effects of the elective and selective types of cessarian, on the clinical feature of first permanent molar, were studied. Birth files, relation to the year 1994 and before, were extracted from a gynecologist clinic. One hundred patients with NVD, 50 patients with selective cessarian delivery and 50 patients with elective cessarian delivery were chosen to examine clinical feature of the first permanent molars of their children. The children, 6 years old or more, were examined. The medical information of the mother were extracted from her file and that of child, were asked from the mother. To analyze the result, X lest- was used. The prevalence of enamel defects (hypoplasia and hypocalcification) of the first permanent molar among children born by C/S, were significantly different from the children born by NVD (P=0.0002). Mean while, the prevalence of these enamel defects in the selective cessarian delivery was more than elective cessarian delivery (17% vs. 9%), which was not statistically significant (P-0.07) It is suggested that gynecologists, pediatricians and pedodontists provide the parents with necessary information about the child's first permanent tooth and ask them to pay enough attention to keep this tooth which is considered as the key of occlusion.