Comparison of acid versus laser etching on the clinical performance of a fissure sealant: 24-month results. In vitro evaluation of sealing pits and fissures with newer glass-ionomer cements developed for the ART technique. Evaluation of the effect of enamel preparation on retention rate of fissure sealant Enamel pretreatment with Er:YAG laser: effects on the microleakage of fissure sealant in fluorosed teeth A comparative evaluation of retention of pit and fissure sealants placed with conventional acid etching and Er,Cr:YSGG laser etching: A randomised controlled trial. A study of cavity preparation by Er:YAG laser. Effects on the marginal leakage of composite resin restoration. Evaluation of fissure sealants retention following four different isolation and surface preparation techniques: four years clinical trial. Evidence-based Clinical Practice Guideline for the Use of Pit-and-Fissure Sealants. Use of Pit-and-Fissure Sealants. A comparison of retention and the effect on caries of fissure sealing with a glass-ionomer and a resin-based sealant. Effect of acid etching and different Er:YAG laser procedures on microleakage of three different fissure sealants in primary teeth after aging. Caries-preventive effect of glass ionomer and resin-based fissure sealants on permanent teeth: An update of systematic review evidence Comparison of glass-ionomer and resin-based fissure sealants: a 2-year clinical trial. Split-mouth study of sealant retention with carbon dioxide laser versus acid etch conditioning. Clinical comparison of a flowable composite and fissure sealant: a 24-month split-mouth, randomized, and controlled study. Clinical evaluation of sealants and preventive resin restorations in a group of environmentally homogeneous children. Pit and fissure sealants: one-year results from a study in Kalispell, Montana.
OBJECTIVE To compare the clinical performance of a pit and fissure sealant placed with the use of different enamel preparation methods , i.e. acid or Er , Cr : YSGG laser etching , over 24 months . METHODS Sixteen subjects ( 15 female , 1 male ) with no restorations or sealant present on their fissures and no detectable caries participated . Using a table of r and om numbers , a total of 112 sealants  ( 56 with acid-etching , 56 with laser etching ) were placed on the permanent premolar and molar teeth . All restorative procedures except for application of the laser were performed by the same dentist . After completion of the fissure preparation either with acid or laser , the adhesive was applied ; then a pit and fissure sealant , Clinpro Sealant , was placed and polymerized . Clinical evaluations were done at baseline and at 6- , 12- , 18- , and 24-month follow-up visits by two calibrated examiners , who were unaware of which etching method had been used . The retention of sealants and caries were evaluated with the aid of a dental explorer and an intra-oral mirror . Each sealant was evaluated using the following criteria : 1=completely retained ; 2= partial loss ; 3= total loss . The Pearson chi-square test was used to evaluate differences in the retention rates among the sealants used with different etching methods . RESULTS All patients attended the 24-month follow-up visit and all sealants were evaluated ( total recall rate 100 % ) . At the end of 24 months , 83.9 % of the sealants from laser group and 85.7 % of those from acid-etch group were recorded as " completely retained " . There were no statistically significant differences in retention rates among the preparation methods after all evaluation periods ( p>0.05 ) . No statistically significant differences were found between the retention rates of premolar and molars at each evaluation period . No secondary caries was detected in association with any sealants . CONCLUSION The clinical performance of fissure sealants placed after acid or Er , Cr : YSGG laser etching was similar Four conventional glass-ionomer cements specifically developed for use with the atraumatic restorative treatment ( ART ) technique were compared with a resin-based sealant for marginal and surface dye penetration , material voids , and completeness of enamel fissure penetration .  Thirty sound permanent m and ibular molar teeth were r and omly divided into five groups . After delayed placement of the glass-ionomer cement sealants using st and ardized finger pressure , and conventional placement of the resin-based sealant using a dental probe , the teeth were first thermocycled then the crowns immersed in methylene blue dye before being sectioned . There were no statistically significant differences found between any of the five material s , apart from less marginal dye leakage being present for the resin-based sealant than for one of the glass-ionomer cements . The cements , however , showed better fissure penetration than did the sealant . Despite the delayed placement and higher viscosity , all of the glass-ionomer cements showed satisfactory penetration of the enamel fissures and minimal marginal and surface dye penetration , and material voids , when placed using firm finger pressure . The cements could prove to be useful in the dental treatment of apprehensive children Background : Prevention from caries is a principle in dentistry and fissure sealant therapy is being used as a preventive method success of sealants is directly depending on their retention . Aim : The Aim of the present study is to evaluate effects of enamel preparation on sealant retention . Setting s and Design : Clinical trial . Material s and Methods : About 57 children aged 6 - 8 year old took part in this study . 200 first molar teeth of these children has been r and omly separated into two groups : A case group ( Mechanically preparation of enamel ) and a control group ( conventional method , without preparation ) . After applying fissure sealants children were followed up 6 months later . Statistical Analysis Used : Mann- U- Whitney Test was used . Results : Complete retention after 6 month follow up was 86.7 % in case group and 82.8 % in control group . No significant difference was seen between the groups after 6 month follow up . ( P = 0.508 ) . Conclusion : Although statistical evaluation did n't show significant difference , but sealant retention was more after preparation technique Objectives The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the microleakage and penetration of fissure sealant  in permanent molar teeth with fluorosis after pretreatment of the occlusal surface . Material s and Methods A total of 120 third molars with mild dental fluorosis were r and omly divided into 6 groups ( n = 20 ) . The tooth surfaces were sealed with an unfilled resin fissure sealant ( FS ) material . The experimental groups included : 1 ) phosphoric acid etching ( AE ) + FS ( control ) ; 2 ) AE + One-Step Plus ( OS , Bisco ) + FS ; 3 ) bur + AE + FS ; 4 ) bur + AE + OS + FS ; 5 ) Er : YAG laser + AE + FS ; and 6 ) Er : YAG laser + AE + OS + FS . After thermocycling , the teeth were immersed in 0.5 % fuchsin and sectioned . Proportions of mircoleakage ( PM ) and unfilled area ( PUA ) were measured by digital microscope . Results Overall , there were significant differences among all groups in the PM ( p = 0.00 ) . Group 3 showed the greatest PM , and was significantly different from groups 2 to 6 ( p < 0.05 ) . Group 6 showed the lowest PM . Pretreatment with Er : YAG with or without adhesive led to less PM than bur pretreatment . There were no significant differences among groups in PUA . Conclusions Conventional acid etching provided a similar degree of occlusal seal in teeth with fluorosis compared to those pretreated with a bur or Er : YAG laser . Pretreatment of pits and fissures with Er : YAG in teeth with fluorosis may be an alternative method before fissure sealant application Aim : The aim of this study was to compare the retention rates of sealant placed either with conventional acid etching or Er , Cr : YSGG laser pretreatment of enamel surface . Material s and methods : This is a prospect i ve , single blind r and omised controlled clinical trial enrolling 200 permanent first molars in 50 patients , aged 6 - 12 years for sealant placement . Study followed split mouth design where each side of the arch was r and omly allocated to the two treatment group . Group A(Acid etch group ) : 37 % phosphoric acid ( Scotchbond , 3 M ESPE , Seefeld , Germany ) was applied for 15 seconds , rinsed with water for 20 seconds and then air-dried using air spray . Group L(Laser etch group ) : Fissures were prepared with an Er , Cr : YSGG laser system ( Waterlase , BIOLASE Technology , San Clemente , CA , USA ) emitting photons at a wavelength of 2.78 µm . Laser irradiation at 1.5 W ( 60 % air and 40 % water ) , in a noncontact mode , with a repetition rate of 20 Hz for 10seconds was used . Pit and fissure sealant ( 3 M ESPE , Clinpro ) was applied and cured for 20 seconds . One blinded , calibrated examiner , who was unaware of which preparation method has been used and who was not involved in the treatment procedures , evaluated the sealant at baseline and at 3 , 6 , 9 and 12 month follow-up visits . Results : It was observed that overall retention rate in group A was slightly higher as compared to group L at all time periods , however , the difference was statistically non-significant ( p-value>0.05 ) . CONCLUSION Er , Cr : YSGG laser etching is comparable to acid etching in terms of retention and patient acceptability The purpose of this study was to evaluate marginal leakage of composite resin restoration from cavities prepared by Er : YAG laser .  The observation of the dentin surface after the application of laser irradiation was performed by LSM , the cutting surface showed a rough surface similar to scales , and exposed dentinal tubules were observed without striations or a smeared layer formation that were observed when using a rotary cutting device . Leakage tests revealed no significant differences in the marginal seal for both enamel and dentin between cavities prepared by Er : YAG laser irradiation and when using an air-turbine . In this study , the usefulness of cavity preparation by Er : YAG laser irradiation in composite resin restoration was suggested The purpose of this study was to evaluate the retention of fissure sealants  , applied with 4 different combinations of isolation and preparation of occlusal surface . In 95 children aged 7 - 8 years , having all four first permanent molars fully erupted and caries free , a chemically initiated tinted fissure sealant was placed with the following 4 different methods in every child . 1 ) Tooth 16 : Cotton rolls isolation and cleaning of occlusal surface using a bristle brush and non-fluori date d paste . 2 ) Tooth 26 : Rubber dam isolation and mechanical preparation of pits and fissures using a round bur No. 0 in a slow h and -piece . 3 ) Tooth 36 : Rubber dam isolation and cleaning of occlusal surface using a bristle brush and non-fluori date d paste . 4 ) Tooth 46 : Isolation with cotton rolls and mechanical preparation of pits and fissures using a round bur No. 0 in a slow h and -piece .  Eighty children were available for re-examination 4 years later ( 320 teeth ) . The 4 methods of application showed the following success rates of full retention : 1 ) 81 % 2 ) 88 % 3 ) 91 % 4 ) 93 % . Although statistical analysis of the results revealed only marginal statistically significant difference among the four different methods of application ( p = 0.091 ) , there was statistical significant difference ( p = 0.031 ) between methods 1 and 4 . No differences were detected among the remaining methods . The present trial revealed best sealant retention using a combination of cotton rolls isolation and mechanical preparation of the occlusal surface . ( ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS BACKGROUND This article presents evidence -based clinical recommendations for the use of pit- and -fissure sealants on the occlusal surfaces of primary and permanent molars in children and adolescents . A guideline panel convened by the American Dental Association ( ADA ) Council on Scientific Affairs and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry conducted a systematic review and formulated recommendations to address clinical questions in relation to the efficacy , retention , and potential side effects of sealants to prevent dental caries ; their efficacy compared with fluoride varnishes ; and a head-to-head comparison of the different types of sealant material used to prevent caries on pits- and -fissures of occlusal surfaces . TYPES OF STUDIES REVIEW ED This is an up date of the ADA 2008 recommendations on the use of pit- and -fissure sealants on the occlusal surfaces of primary and permanent molars . The authors conducted a systematic search in MEDLINE , Embase , Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials , and other sources to identify r and omized controlled trials reporting on the effect of sealants ( available on the U.S. market ) when applied to the occlusal surfaces of primary and permanent molars . The authors used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment , Development , and Evaluation approach to assess the quality of the evidence and to move from the evidence to the decisions . RESULTS The guideline panel formulated 3 main recommendations . They concluded that sealants are effective in preventing and arresting pit- and -fissure occlusal carious lesions of primary and permanent molars in children and adolescents compared with the nonuse of sealants or use of fluoride varnishes . They also concluded that sealants could minimize the progression of non-cavitated occlusal carious lesions ( also referred to as initial lesions ) that receive a sealant . Finally , based on the available limited evidence , the panel was unable to provide specific recommendations on the relative merits of 1 type of sealant material over the others . Conclusions and practical implication s : These recommendations are design ed to inform practitioners during the clinical decision-making process in relation to the prevention of occlusal carious lesions in children and adolescents . Clinicians are encouraged to discuss the information in this guideline with patients or the parents of patients . The authors recommend that clinicians re-orient their efforts toward increasing the use of sealants on the occlusal surfaces of primary and permanent molars in children and adolescents BACKGROUND This article presents evidence -based clinical recommendations for the use of pit- and -fissure sealants on the occlusal surfaces of primary and permanent molars in children and adolescents . A guideline panel convened by the American Dental Association ( ADA ) Council on Scientific Affairs and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry conducted a systematic review and formulated recommendations to address clinical questions in relation to the efficacy , retention , and potential side effects of sealants to prevent dental caries ; their efficacy compared with fluoride varnishes ; and a head-to-head comparison of the different types of sealant material used to prevent caries on pits- and -fissures of occlusal surfaces . TYPES OF STUDIES REVIEW ED This is an up date of the ADA 2008 recommendations on the use of pit- and -fissure sealants on the occlusal surfaces of primary and permanent molars . The authors conducted a systematic search in MEDLINE , Embase , Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials , and other sources to identify r and omized controlled trials reporting on the effect of sealants ( available on the U.S. market ) when applied to the occlusal surfaces of primary and permanent molars . The authors used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment , Development , and Evaluation approach to assess the quality of the evidence and to move from the evidence to the decisions . RESULTS The guideline panel formulated 3 main recommendations . They concluded that sealants are effective in preventing and arresting pit- and -fissure occlusal carious lesions of primary and permanent molars in children and adolescents compared with the nonuse of sealants or use of fluoride varnishes . They also concluded that sealants could minimize the progression of non-cavitated occlusal carious lesions ( also referred to as initial lesions ) that receive a sealant . Finally , based on the available limited evidence , the panel was unable to provide specific recommendations on the relative merits of 1 type of sealant material over the others . Conclusions and practical implication s : These recommendations are design ed to inform practitioners during the clinical decision-making process in relation to the prevention of occlusal carious lesions in children and adolescents . Clinicians are encouraged to discuss the information in this guideline with patients or the parents of patients . The authors recommend that clinicians re-orient their efforts toward increasing the use of sealants on the occlusal surfaces of primary and permanent molars in children and adolescents OBJECTIVE To compare the retention and the caries preventive effect of a glass-ionomer developed for fissure sealing ( Fuji III ) and a chemically polymerized resin-based fissure sealant ( Delton ) . DESIGN A split mouth r and omized design using contralateral teeth . SETTING WHO Regional Demonstration , Training and Research Center for Oral Health , Damascus , Syrian Arab Republic . SAMPLE AND METHODS 179 children , 7 years old at the start of the study , were recruited from schools close to the Center . Only children with at least one pair of permanent first molars that were caries free or only had incipient lesions were included in the study . Follow-up examinations for sealant retention were done after 6 months , 1 year , 2 years and 3 years . The number of children available for reexamination was 129 ( after 6 months ) ; 121 ( after 1 year ) ; 115 ( after 2 years ) and 116 ( after 3 years ) . Four dental hygienists were trained in the sealant procedures and did approximately one fourth of the sealants each . RESULTS After 3 years the  glass-ionomer sealant was completely lost in almost 90 % of the teeth compared to less than 10 % of the resin sealed teeth . After 3 years the relative risk of a tooth sealed with glass-ionomer over that of a tooth sealed with resin was 3.38 ( 95 % CL : 1.98 ; 5.79 ) . This finding was consistent over type of tooth . CONCLUSIONS The glass-ionomer sealant tested in the present study had poorer retention and less caries protective effect than the resin-based sealant used The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different surface conditioning procedures on microleakage and unfilled area proportions of three fissure sealants(Aegis , Helioseal and Helioseal F ) in primary molar teeth . One hundred and fifty teeth were r and omly divided into five main groups according to surface conditioning procedures . Main groups were ; acid-etching(Group A ) ; laser 3.75 W(Group B ) and 5 W(Group D ) ; acid-etching combined with laser 3.75 W(Group C ) and 5 W(Group E ) . Sample s were aged by thermocycling and water bath . Afterwards , they were immersed in basic fuchsin solution for 24 h and bucco-lingual sections were obtained from each tooth . Digital images were taken using a stereo-microscope and the microleakage and unfilled area proportions were assessed by using a software system . Consequently , Aegis FS containing amorphous calcium phosphate was found to exhibit the lowest microleakage in all surface conditioning procedures . Unfilled areas were not detected in Groups C and E of all FSs Background This article constitutes a partial up date of the original systematic review evidence by Yengopal et al. from 15 January 2008 ( published in the Journal of Oral Science in 2009 ) with primary focus on research quality in regard to bias risk in trials . Its aim is to up date the existing systematic review evidence from the English literature as to whether caries occurrence on pits and fissures of teeth sealed with either GIC or resin is the same . Methods In addition to the 12 trials included during the original systematic review , 5 new trials were identified during the data base search ( up to 26 August 2010 ) and 2 further trials were included from a h and search and reference check . Of these , 3 trials were excluded and 16 were accepted for data extraction and quality assessment . The quality of accepted trials was assessed , using up date d quality criteria , and the risk of bias was investigated in more depth than previously reported . In addition , the focus of quantitative synthesis was shifted to single data sets that were extracted from the accepted trials . Results Twenty-six dichotomous and 4 continuous data sets were extracted . Meta- analysis and cumulative meta- analysis were used in combining clinical ly homogenous data sets . The overall outcome of the computed data sets suggest no difference between the caries-preventive effects of GIC- and resin-based fissure sealants . Conclusions This overall outcome is in agreement with the conclusions of the original systematic review . Although the findings of the trials identified in this up date may be considered to be less affected by attrition- and publication bias , their risk of selection - and detection-/performance bias is high . Thus , verification of the currently available results requires further high quality r and omised control trials In recent years , the interest in the use of glass-ionomer material s as fissure sealants has increased . The aim of this study was to compare the retention and caries-preventive effect of glass-ionomer ( Fuji III ) and resin-based light-cured ( Delton ) fissure sealants .  Three health center dentists applied the sealants to 166 children ; glass-ionomer sealants  on one side and resin-based sealants on the contralateral side of the mouth . After 2 yr , one pair of molar teeth in the mouths of 151 children was compared . Twenty-six percent of glass-ionomer and 82 % of resin-based sealants were totally present ( P < 0.001 ) . During the 2 yr , in both groups 4.6 % of the sealed surfaces became carious . The results show that the retention of glass-ionomer sealants  is markedly inferior to the resin-based sealants . In this study , however , no difference in caries increment on the sealed surfaces was observed . This may be due to the different mechanism of caries prevention for the sealant material s , or to the overall low caries activity of the participants A split mouth clinical trial was undertaken to compare the  retention of fissure sealants placed using laser or acid conditioning .  After a mean follow-up period of 14.5 months , the retention rate for laser conditioning was greater than that for acid etching ( 97.9 per cent versus 94.6 per cent , respectively ) , although this difference was not statistically significant . No adverse effects occurred during or subsequent to laser conditioning procedures . It is concluded that carbon dioxide laser conditioning is a viable alternative to acid etching for fissure sealing OBJECTIVES The aim of this clinical study was to evaluate the retention rate and caries-prevention effect of a flowable composite compared to a conventional resin-based sealant in a young population over a 24-month period . METHODS Thirty-four patients , ranging in age from 16 to 22 years , diagnosed with at least 2 non-cavitated pit- and -fissure caries in the first and second molars were selected for this r and omized split-mouth design trial . A total of 220 sealants , were placed in 117 upper molars and 103 lower molars . The teeth were sealed with a flowable resin composite ( Tetric Evo Flow ) or a sealant material ( Helioseal F ) . Each restoration was independently evaluated in terms of retention and the presence of caries at baseline and at 1 , 6 , 12 , and 24 months . Data were analyzed using non-parametric Mann-Whitney U and Friedman 1-way ANOVA tests at p<0.05 . RESULTS Tetric Evo Flow showed complete retention with 100 % , 95.5 % , 93.8 % , and 88.5 % at 1 , 6 , 12 , and 24-month evaluations , respectively , while Helioseal F retention rates were 98.1 % , 95.5 % , 94.8 % , and 85.4 % , respectively , for the same evaluation periods . At the 24-month recall , 4 ( 4.2 % ) total losses were observed in subjects treated with Tetric Evo Flow and 2 total losses ( 2.1 % ) for Helioseal F , respectively . No significant differences were observed between the material s in retention rates or caries incidence for each evaluation period ( p>0.05 ) . CONCLUSION Placement of flowable composite as fissure sealants in the younger population seems to be as effective as conventional fluoride containing fissure sealants for the prevention of fissure caries . CLINICAL RELEVANCE The use of a flowable composite as a fissure sealant material , in conjunction with a total-etch , single bottle adhesive , yielded better retention than did the conventional fluoride containing resin-based fissure sealant over a 24-month period in young patients PURPOSE Pit and fissure sealants reduce occlusal caries when proper patient selection and application techniques are followed . To increase retention rate of sealants over time , good adaptation and deep sealant penetration are important . Studies remain inconclusive , however , as to determining if the bur preparation of pits and fissures would increase the adaptation and penetration thus improving sealant retention . The aim of this study was to assess if tooth preparation prior to sealant application improves sealant retention . METHODS In this prospect i ve cohort study , 43 children and adolescents from 4 Hutterites colonies were , for 3 years , bussed to the University of Manitoba pediatric dental clinic , Winnipeg , Manitoba , Canada , for comprehensive dental care including  sealant placement  using st and ard procedures . These came from a community with homogeneous social economical status , dietary habits , fluoride intake , and lifestyles . The decision of tooth preparation prior to sealant application was made ad hoc . Of 122 treated permanent posterior teeth , 54 had been treated as preventive resin restorations ( PRRs , type A or B ) and 68 were nonprepared sealants .  RESULTS After 1 year , teeth prepared ( type B PRRs ) and restored with flowable composite resins had significantly ( P<.01 ) lower retention rates ( 27 % vs 63 % ) than did teeth with nonprepared sealants or typeA PRRs . Teeth prepared ( type B PRRs ) were also significantly ( P<.001 ) more likely to have caries on follow-up examination ( 50 % vs 11 % ) than were teeth with nonprepared sealants or type A PRRs . CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that preventive resin type B restorations restored with flowable composites are not helpful in terms of retention or caries reduction The half-mouth technique was used to determine the treatment effect of an application of an ultraviolet-light-polymerized sealant . The side of the mouth to be treated with the sealant was r and omly selected . At the one-year examination , a statistically significant reduction in occlusal caries was found for teeth coated with the sealant . Practically no color change or marginal discoloration was evident and retention of the sealant was excellent
One study reported that laser preparation as an adjunct to acid-etching enhanced the retention rate .
No significant difference in the incidence of caries was reported .
And no significant differences were found in heart rates , oxygen saturation or degree of the patient dental anxiety between acid-etching and laser preparation .
Conclusion The present limited evidence suggests that lasers could be an effective pretreatment method .
The retention rate was similar to that of conventional acid etching .
Background This systematic review aim ed to assess the clinical effects of laser preparation compared to other types of chemical or mechanical preparation of tooth surfaces used in fissure sealant placement .