Preventive resin restorations: indications, technique, and success

Although preventive resin restorations have been reported since 1977, there is little uniformity concerning the indications for this procedure, nor is there a standard technique. This article proposes diagnostic criteria for pit and fissure occlusal caries and diagnosis-related considerations for treatment planning for preventive resin restorations. A step-by-step "laminate" technique, which includes, successively, a glass-ionomer cement liner, a posterior composite resin, and a sealant, is described. The success rates reported for several clinical studies of preventive resin restorations are presented, although the criteria for this restoration, treatment methodology, and the determinates of success vary from study to study.