A 5-year evaluation of two glass-ionomer cements used as fissure sealants.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the retention and caries preventive effect of two glass ionomers used as fissure sealants: one resin modified glass ionomer (A) and one conventional glass-ionomer cement (B).


METHODS
The permanent first molars of 100 children, 6-8 years of age at the start of the study, were sealed. Material A was applied on one side (right side, upper, and lower) and material B was applied on the contralateral side (left side, upper, and lower) of the mouth. The control group was composed of 108 children who did not receive fissure sealant but received oral health education. After 5 years, 64.0% of the children of the experimental group and 73.0% of the children of the control group were available for reexamination.


RESULTS
Material A was completely lost in 74.2% and material B in 89.0% (Wilcoxon matched pairs test, P < 0.05). Total retention rate was 1.6% for materials A and B. After 5 years, caries increment was 21.5% for the experimental group and 34.2% for the control group (chi2-test, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Sealing pits and fissures with glass-ionomer cements was effective in preventing caries.
Pardi
Vanessa
V
Department of Community Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
Pereira
Antonio Carlos
AC
Mialhe
Fábio Luiz
FL
Meneghim
Marcelo de Castro
Mde C
Ambrosano
Gláucia Maria Bovi
GM
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004245:DMF Index; D001840:Dental Bonding; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019279:Resin Cements / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D003188:Composite Resins; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants; D019279:Resin Cements; C084550:Vitremer; C061499:Ketac-Bond