Clinical evaluation of glass-ionomer/resin-based hybrid materials used as pit and fissure sealants. Randomized trial on fluorides and sealants for fissure caries prevention. Effectiveness of a glass ionomer cement used as a pit and fissure sealant in recently erupted permanent first molars. Clinical evaluation of three different materials used as pit and fissure sealant: 24-months results. Clinical success and potential failure after single application of a pit and fissure sealant: a four-year report. A 24-month study comparing sealant and fluoride varnish in caries reduction on different permanent first molar surfaces. Evaluation of non-invasive treatment applied to occlusal surfaces. A comparative study of fluoride-releasing composite resin and glass ionomer materials used as fissure sealants. Retention of a glass ionomer cement and a resin-based fissure sealant and effect on carious outcome after 7 years.
The objective of the present study was to clinically evaluate the hybrid materials Vitremer and Dyract when used as pit and fissure sealants.
                The materials were applied in pairs on the mandibular permanent first molars of 100 children, 7 to 8 years old.
                After 12 months of sealing, the clinical evaluation presented rates of 95.9% and 85.7% of complete retention for Dyract and Vitremer, respectively, indicating a statistically significant difference. The hybrid materials presented a statistically significant protective effect against caries compared with the control group at 6 and 12 months.
                The hybrid materials were able to control occlusal caries. To investigate the effectiveness of topical fluorides in preventing fissure caries, we conducted a randomized controlled trial with parallel groups. In total, 501 children (1,539 molars, 3,078 sites), mean age 9.1 years, who had at least one sound permanent first molar with deep fissures or fissures with signs of early caries were recruited. They were randomly allocated among four groups: (1) resin sealant, single placement; (2) 5% NaF varnish, semi-annual application; (3) 38% silver diamine fluoride (SDF) solution, annual application; and (4) placebo control. Follow-up examinations were conducted every 6 months by a masked examiner. After 24 months, 485 children (97%) were examined. Proportions of pit/fissure sites with dentin caries in the sealant, NaF, SDF, and control groups were 1.6%, 2.4%, 2.2%, and 4.6%, respectively. A multi-level logistic regression analysis accounting for the effects of data clustering and confounding factors showed that fissures in any of the three treatment groups had significantly lower risks of carious cavity development into dentin than did controls (p < 0.05). We concluded that placement of resin sealant, semi-annual application of NaF varnish, and annual application of SDF solution are all effective in preventing pit and fissure caries in permanent molars (ClinicalTrials.gov number CT01446107). This study's purpose was to evaluate the caries-preventive effect of a glass ionomer cement (GIC) used as an occlusal sealant on recently erupted permanent first molars.
                A double-blind, randomized, controlled, clinical trial was undertaken that included 36 5- to 8-year-olds (and 92 permanent first molars) who were randomly allocated to the test group (GIC) or the control group (auto-polymerized resin-based sealant [RBS]). The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the number of new carious or filled occlusal surfaces in the 2 groups.
                After 6 months, 1 occlusal surface in the test group and 2 occlusal surfaces in the control group showed carious lesions (P=.15). In the fifth year of follow-up, 2 occlusal surfaces in the test group and 7 occlusal surfaces in the control group were filled or carious (P=.42), and the mean number of sealed surfaces that became carious or filled was 0.2 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.02-0.70) for the GIC-sealed teeth and 0.6 (95% CI=0.20-1.30) for the RBS-sealed teeth (P=.30).
                High-viscosity glass ionomer cement can provide some level of protection against dental caries when used as a dental sealant in newly erupted permanent first molars. To evaluate the retention and caries experience effects of three different materials used as fissure sealants after 24 months of clinical application: a resin-modified glass ionomer cement (A), a flowable resin composite (B) and a compomer (C). One hundred and seventeen (117) teeth were sealed with material A, 119 teeth with material B and 120 teeth with material C. Children were randomly assigned. Each one received only one of the materials studied. Plaque index, dmft score and socioeconomic level were scored at baseline. The clinical exams were conducted 6, 12 and 24 months after application of the sealant. Statistical analysis (Kruskal-Wallis) revealed that there were statistically significant differences between the retention rates of groups A and B and between groups B and C after 2 years, with material B showing better results. After 2 years, 3.1% of the teeth of group A, 4.3% of group B and 6.7% of group C were Carious+Filled. There was no evidence of association between caries presence after 2 years and plaque index, dmft score and socioeconomic level. These results suggest that flowable resin composite had a satisfactory retention after this period of evaluation and all three materials were effective on occlusal caries prevention. A single application of a filled chemically initiated BIS-GMA sealant to permanent first molars of children ranging in age from 5 to 8 years covered the original sites in 52.4% of the 185 teeth examined after four years. Retention of sealant is greater in mandibular (64.7%) than in maxillary (42.0%) molars. The rate of loss of sealant was greatest during the first year (20%), then less than 10% per year at the second, third, and fourth recalls. In comparison with two similar studies, the retention of sealant was 20% to 30% greater. Using the parameters of percent effectiveness, net gain, and DMF scores per 100 test and control teeth, the data from the current study indicate a continued positive effect substantially greater than that in other similar studies. Complete loss of sealant does not appear to predispose that surface to caries any more than its contralateral paired surface. However, a partial loss of sealant because of abrasive wear that results in the exposure of the terminal ends of a fissure is a potential failure in that it creates an environment conducive to caries. Thus, even the well-applied sealant does not necessarily constitute permanent obturation of pits and fissures. Periodic clinical observation is necessary to determine the success or potential failure of the sealant treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the separate effects of dental sealants and fluoride varnish on dental caries in fissured and nonfissured surfaces of permanent first molars.
                A clinical trial was conducted with three groups of 6- to 8-year-old schoolchildren: a sealant group (n = 100), in which Delton was applied to first molars; a varnish group (n = 98), in which Duraphat was applied to first molars; and a control group (n = 116), which had no intervention as part of the study. Absolute and percent caries reductions were compared at 24 months.
                Compared to the controls, sealants resulted in a 68 percent and 87 percent reduction on fissured and nonfissured surfaces, respectively. The corresponding figures for varnish were 38 percent and 66 percent.
                Sealant and fluoride varnish are effective in preventing caries in both fissured and nonfissured surface. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of non-invasive methods of treatment for active incipent occlusal caries. Anamnesis, professional prophylaxis, and visual inspection were used to classify 250 Brazilian pre-school-children. First permanent decayed molars (n=98) from thirty-one subjects (6 years+ 6 months) were selected and divided into three groups. Group 1: fissure sealants with resin-modified glass ionomer - Vitremer (n=29); Group 2: fluoride varnish -Duraphat (n=36) and control group: tooth brushing and 0.2 percent NaF weekly mouthwashes (n=33). Four clinical evaluations were carried out over three, six, nine, and twelve months. Caries activity and progression were observed through clinical and radiographic evaluation. The results were analyzed by Fisher=s Exact test. After twelve months, the results showed 100 percent of arrestment of caries activity for Group 1, 83.3 percent for group 2, and 72.7 percent for control group. At the same time, the results showed 0 percent of caries progression for group 1, 5.5 percent for Group 2, and 6.1 percent for control group. Group 1 showed a better inactivation property than the other groups (p<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in caries progression among these groups (p>0.05). It was concluded that this non-invasive methods were able to arrest the progression of occlusal caries, but fissure sealant showed better results in controlling caries activity. The objectives of the study were to investigate the clinical use of two fluoride-releasing fissure sealants and to study fluoride release under laboratory conditions.
                In the clinical part of the study the two materials, FluroShield and Baseline, were applied to matched contralateral caries-free first permanent molars in 86 children aged 7-8 years. In the laboratory study fluoride release from each material was measured using a model cavity system.
                After 3 years FluroShield was intact on 70% of teeth. Retention was significantly better on lower molars than upper molars. Baseline was lost from all except two teeth within 6 months. After 3 years, caries had affected four teeth sealed with FluroShield and 24 teeth sealed with Baseline; this difference was highly significant. The laboratory study showed that FluroShield released twice as much fluoride over 9 days than did Baseline. Long term studies using FluroShield showed a small steady fluoride release over 6 months.
                The conclusion of the study was that FluroShield was a much more effective fissure sealant than Baseline. The clinical performance of FluroShield was comparable to that of other inert composite resin sealants and superior to that of fluoride-releasing sealants used previously. The aim of this study was to compare the retention and caries preventive efficacy of glass ionomer (Fuji III; GIC) and light-cured resin-based (Delton; LCR) fissure sealants. One hundred and sixty-six 5-14-year-old schoolchildren received sealants on their newly erupted first or second molars; a split mouth design was used. Previously reported 2-year results showed low retention rates for GIC sealants, but no difference in the caries increment between the groups. The same persons were invited to a dental check-up 6.1 to 7.8 (mean 7.1) years after the application of sealants; 111 persons (66.8% of the original group) participated in the study. The retention of sealants, and the caries status of occlusal surfaces and adjacent proximal surfaces was recorded. On the sealed occlusal surfaces, 10% of GIC and 45% of LCR sealants were totally and 9% of GIC and 20% of LCR sealants partially present. Twenty-three (23.5%) of the occlusal surfaces sealed with GIC and 16 (16.5%) of those sealed with LCR were carious or filled. Compared to LCR sealants, the effectiveness of GIC sealants was -44% (95% CI -71%, -16%) and net gain -7% (95% CI -18%, 4%). The relative risk of caries occurring was 1.44 (95% CI 0.96, 2.14).
There was some evidence on the superiority of pit and fissure sealants over fluoride varnish application in the prevention of occlusal decays. However, current scarce data limit recommendations on whether to apply pit and fissure sealants or fluoride varnishes on occlusal surfaces.