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World J Clin Cases. Jan 16, 2015; 3(1): 34-41
Published online Jan 16, 2015. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v3.i1.34
Enamel microabrasion: An overview of clinical and scientific considerations
Núbia Inocencya Pavesi Pini, Daniel Sundfeld-Neto, Flavio Henrique Baggio Aguiar, Renato Herman Sundfeld, Luis Roberto Marcondes Martins, José Roberto Lovadino, Débora Alves Nunes Leite Lima
Núbia Inocencya Pavesi Pini, Daniel Sundfeld-Neto, Flavio Henrique Baggio Aguiar, Luis Roberto Marcondes Martins, José Roberto Lovadino, Débora Alves Nunes Leite Lima, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo 13414-903, Brazil
Renato Herman Sundfeld, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Araçatuba Dental School, São Paulo State University, Araçatuba, São Paulo 16015-050, Brazil
Author contributions: Pini NIP and Sundfeld-Neto D contributed equally to collecting clinical photographs and preparing and writing the manuscript; Sundfeld RH contributed clinical cases and polarized microscopy; Aguiar FHB, Martins LRM and Lovadino JR reviewed the selection of presented cases; Aguiar FHB, Sundfeld RH, Martins LRM and Lovadino JR reviewed the manuscript for intellectual content; Lima DANL outlined the manuscript and assisted with microscopy images.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Correspondence to: Débora Alves Nunes Leite Lima, Assistant Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, PO Box 52, UNICAMP, Piracicaba, São Paulo 13414-903, Brazil. deboralima@fop.unicamp.br
Telephone: +55-19-21015340 Fax: +55-19-34210144
Received: July 28, 2014
Peer-review started: July 28, 2014
First decision: September 16, 2014
Revised: October 6, 2014
Accepted: October 28, 2014
Article in press: December 23, 2014
Published online: January 16, 2015
Processing time: 170 Days and 1.3 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Enamel microabrasion is indicated for the removal of superficial stains and irregularities of the enamel, mainly located in esthetic areas. The technique involves the mechanical rubbing of acidic and abrasive agents on the altered surface. Recent studies show that the technique is a conservative treatment when the enamel wear is minimal and clinically imperceptible, and is effective and long lasting. The present literature review aims to discuss indications and clinical and scientific aspects of the microabrasion technique, as well as its effects on the enamel surface.