Enamel is the hard, protective outer layer of teeth. Enamel hypoplasia is a defect of the enamel that occurs while teeth are developing. The causes can be hereditary and/or environmental. Both baby teeth and permanent teeth can be affected.
The visual signs of enamel hypoplasia include white spots, pits, grooves, fissures and yellowish-brown stains. The condition of teeth causes sensitivity to heat and cold, retention of harmful bacteria and increased vulnerability to tooth decay and cavities.
The photo showed deep and wide fissures and white spots on all the back teeth of this teenager. Two of these teeth had developed dental caries (decays). They just looked like some dark stains on tooth but they were actually deep and close to the nerve. White fillings and fissure sealants were done on all the premolars and molars to fix the decays and prevent vulnerable teeth from decays.