Influence of the pretreatment of occlusal pits and fissures on the retention of a fissure sealant.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate different regimens of enamel conditioning on the retention of a pit and fissure sealant.


METHODS
100 extracted human molars were randomized into 10 experimental groups (n = 10). Conditioning of occlusal pits and fissures was performed with either 37% H3PO4, diamond bur and 37% H3PO4, Er:YAG laser, Er:YAG laser and 37% H3PO4, air abrasion (3 different settings), air abrasion (3 different settings) and subsequent acid etching with 37% H3PO4. 24 hours after placing a compomer-based sealant, the specimens were artificially aged by thermocycling (5/55 degrees C; x1000) and immersed in basic fuchsin dye for another 24 hours. After sectioning, dye penetration along the enamel-resin-interface was determined (% of the fissure depth). Data were statistically analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis H test and Mann-Whitney U test. For qualitative investigations, two further specimens of each group were analyzed in the SEM.


RESULTS
Conventional acid etching resulted in significantly superior sealant retention than conditioning with either the Er:YAG laser or air abrasion (irrespective of particle size or air pressure). If mechanical conditioning of the laser or air abrasion was followed by acid-etching, results were statistically equal to the acid-etch only group.
Manhart
Juergen
J
Department of Restorative Dentistry and Periodontology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Dental School, Goethe Street 70, D-80336 Munich, Germany. manhart@manhart.com
Huth
Karin Christine
KC
Chen
Hong-Yan
HY
Hickel
Reinhard
R
D020906:Air Abrasion, Dental; D020770:Compomers; D001840:Dental Bonding; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation / Q000379:methods*; D045662:Dental Etching / Q000379:methods*; D003750:Dental Fissures / Q000628:therapy; D003763:Dental Leakage / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008963:Molar; D010756:Phosphoric Acids; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants; D011897:Random Allocation; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013499:Surface Properties
D020770:Compomers; D010756:Phosphoric Acids; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants; C030242:phosphoric acid