Marginal seal evaluation of different resin sealants used in pits and fissures. An in vitro study.
ATM: Oral health is important for everyone, but specially for children and people requiring special care owing to impaired manual ability. Primary prevention, with correct oral hygiene, proper diet, use of fluoride and pit and fissure sealants, can reduce caries risk thereby improving patients' quality of life. The first aim of this paper was to assess the marginal microleakage of different pit and fissure sealants after immersion in a cariogenic solution. The second aim was to evaluate the ability of the materials to penetrate into the bottom of the fissure.


METHODS
32 posterior teeth were divided into four groups based on the type of sealant tested: Concise, Clinpro, Fissurit, Fissurit F. Samples were immersed and stored in a lactic acid solution (pH 4.4, 0.1 M) at 37 degrees C for different periods: 1 day; 3 days; 7 days; 10 days. Then each sample was stored in erythrosine solution for 24 hours at 37 degrees C. Each sample was sectioned in a mesio-distal direction and evaluated at the stereomicroscope and subsequently at SEM.


RESULTS
SEM analysis showed that Clinpro and Concise obtained a good penetration inside the fissure and a good adaptation to the enamel wall, while Fissurit and Fissurit F showed gaps at the sealant-enamel interface and voids.


CONCLUSIONS
Sealant application is an important means for caries prevention but, for a lasting effect, it must be associated with good oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups.
Department of Oral Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
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M
Montanari
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Pitzolu
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Felline
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Piana
D017438:Bisphenol A-Glycidyl Methacrylate / Q000737:chemistry; D002326:Cariogenic Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003763:Dental Leakage / Q000145:classification; D018772:Dental Marginal Adaptation; D004923:Erythrosine; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
D002326:Cariogenic Agents; C500418:Clinpro Sealant; D003188:Composite Resins; C407603:Fissurit F; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008689:Methacrylates; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants; D019344:Lactic Acid; D017438:Bisphenol A-Glycidyl Methacrylate; D004923:Erythrosine