Enamel microabrasion: An overview of clinical and scientific considerations

Figure 1 Indications for enamel microabrasion. Tooth staining from A: Fluorosis; B: Mineralized white spots.

Figure 2 Deep enamel staining due to hypoplasia. A: Hypoplasia; B: Ineffective microabrasion treatment of the right central incisor.

Figure 3 Transillumination to determine staining depth. A: Enamel hypoplasia in both central incisors; B, C: Transillumination to evaluate the staining.

Figure 4 Depth of enamel removal. Polarized light microscopy showing the ground tooth section after enamel microabrasion with Opalustre (reprinted with permission from Sundfeld et al[44]).

Figure 5 Enamel alterations after microabrasion. Scanning electron microscopy showing the acid conditioning pattern on the enamel surface caused by microabrasion with A: Phosphoric acid and pumice; B: Opalustre; C: Confocal laser scanning microscopy showing the minimal alteration of the enamel surface, but intact subsurface, after microabrasion with Opalustre.

Figure 6 Resolution of fluorosis staining by microabrasion. A: Clinical case of fluorosis before treatment; B: Results after enamel microabrasion (reprinted with permission Machado et al[58]).