title: [Treatment cost savings with universal coverage of dental pit and fissure sealants in Québec].
abstract: Approximately 95 per cent of caries or fillings in the first permanent molars of eight-year-old children are found on pit and fissure surfaces. In 17-year-old adolescents, these account for 68 per cent. This article evaluates two treatment approaches based on their respective cost: one that does not use sealants and one that uses sealants for pit and fissure surfaces and amalgam fillings for restorations involving other surfaces. Compared to the current situation in which sealants are rarely used, applying dental sealant to three out of four first permanent molars reduces the cost of treatment by 31 per cent. Therefore, pit and fissure sealants are recommended as a universal preventive measure for children. In the long run, this could generate savings of up to $7 million in the public and private sectors for each age group in Quebec.
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Québec.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Brodeur
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Payette
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galarneau
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D017046:Cost Savings; D004245:DMF Index; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000191:economics; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000191:economics / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000191:economics; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008963:Molar; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017149:Private Sector / Q000191:economics; D017150:Public Sector / Q000191:economics; D011792:Quebec
chemical_list: D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants; D003723:Dental Amalgam