title: Microleakage of self-etching sealant on noncontaminated and saliva-contaminated enamel.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare the microleakage of a self-etching sealant with a traditional phosphoric acid-etched sealant under noncontaminated and saliva-contaminated conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-two sound extracted human molars were randomly divided  into 4 groups (N=13). Teeth in Groups 1 and 2 were cleaned with pumice, etched with phosphoric acid, rinsed, coated with a drying agent, placed with sealants (UltraSeal XT Plus), and light cured. Teeth in Groups 3 and 4 were cleaned with a proprietary flour pumice and rinsed prior to being  sealed with a self-etching sealant (Enamel Loc). Teeth in Groups 2 and 4 were contaminated with saliva and thoroughly air-dried prior to the sealant placement. All teeth were subjected to a thermocycling process, stained with silver nitrate, and sectioned, and images of the sealant on the  occlusal surface were recorded. Microleakage distance was measured in millimeters and subjected to a 2-way analysis of variance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly larger microleakage distances were found for the self-etching sealant vs the traditional sealant (P<.001). Saliva contamination  did not significantly affect the microleakage distance (P<.17).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Under the conditions used in this in vitro study, the self-etching sealant, regardless of contamination condition, had extensive microleakage distances vs. little microleakage in the traditional phosphoric  acid-etched sealant.
authors.affiliation: Children's Dental Clinic of Las Cruces, Southern New Mexico, USA.
mesh_terms: D000134:Acid Etching, Dental / Q000379:methods; D003188:Composite Resins; D001840:Dental Bonding / Q000379:methods*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003763:Dental Leakage / Q000145:classification*; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D055115:Light-Curing of Dental Adhesives; D008422:Materials Testing; D010756:Phosphoric Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants / Q000737:chemistry*; D012463:Saliva / Q000502:physiology*; D017640:Silicates / Q000737:chemistry; D016622:Silver Staining; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D003188:Composite Resins; D010756:Phosphoric Acids; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants; D017640:Silicates; C106663:Ultra Seal XT; C030242:phosphoric acid; C005144:pumice