espanolLa gran diversidad de criterios usados para nombrar, definir, clasificar y medir los defectosen el desarrollo del esmalte (DDE) ha originado una amplia terminologia ambiguae imprecisa que crea confusiones. Por ello, el proposito de este articulo es proponer laestandarizacion para beneficiar la salud publica, la investigacion, la educacion y la practicaclinica. Para estandarizarlos, la Federacion Dental Internacional hizo importantes avancesque plasmo en el indice DDE modificado (DDEm), que se toma como base con unas pocasprecisiones. Para medir los DDE en un primer tamizaje se sugiere usar el indice DDEm y sila prevalencia de algunos de los defectos es alta, se recomienda su medicion especificacon indices de fluorosis o con los criterios para la hipomineralizacion incisomolar (HIM). Sinembargo, a futuro, unificar los metodos de medicion seria ideal. Tambien se sugiere repensarnombre y definicion de la HIM. EnglishThe great diversity of criteria used to name, define, classify, and measure developmentaldefects of enamel (DDE) has resulted in a wide, ambiguous and imprecise terminology thatgenerates confusion. The purpose of this article is to propose standardization intended tobenefit public health, research, education, and clinical practice. In developing standards,the International Dental Federation has made great progress that resulted in the modifiedDDE Index (mDDE). Therefore, it is taken as a basis for this project with a few revisions. Tomeasure the presence of DDE in a first screening, it is recommended the use of the mDDEindex and if the prevalence of some of the defects is high, a specific measuring with fluorosisindices or criteria for the molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) is recommended. However,unifying the methods for measurement would be advisable. It is also suggested to rethinkthe name and definition of the MIH.