Prevalence and Distribution of Molar Incisor Hypomineralization (MIH) and Hypomineralized Primary Second Molar (HPSM) Among Children Aged 7-11 Years Residing in Ahmedabad, India: A Prospective, Observational Cross-Sectional Study

Background and objective Molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) and hypomineralized second primary molars (HPSM) are significant developmental dental anomalies that affect children's quality of life. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, distribution, and correlation between MIH and HPSM among children aged 7-11 years in the five zones of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Methodology A cross-sectional screening was conducted involving 1,860 schoolchildren (963 males, 897 females). Ahmedabad was divided into five zones. Inclusion criteria included children aged 7-11 years with parental consent, while children absent on the day of examination or those missing index teeth were excluded. Clinical examinations were performed using the 2021 European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (EAPD) diagnostic criteria. Following data collection, all categorical data were compiled and statistically analyzed to evaluate the prevalence, clinical severity, and demographic distribution of the anomalies. Results The overall MIH prevalence was 2.04% (n = 38) while the dedicated HPSM prevalence was 0.27% (n = 5). Mild severity predominated, accounting for 65.79% of affected cases. The incidence of these developmental anomalies was entirely gender-neutral (p = 0.080 for MIH; p = 0.6769 for HPSM) and independent of specific age groups within the 7-11-year range (p = 0.984). Conclusions MIH and HPSM demonstrated a low but clinically significant prevalence within this cohort, with no statistically significant associations observed with gender or age groups. Despite the relatively low prevalence, the profound clinical consequences of these enamel defects highlight the critical need for early identification, heightened clinical vigilance, and timely preventive care.