[Clinical effect of pit and fissure sealant used in combination with self-etching adhesive on permanent teeth]

To determine the role of pit and fissure sealant used in combination with self-etching adhesive in retention of the sealants and caries decrease of the permanent teeth.

Sixty two children aged 6-14 years old were chosen from the outpatients in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, the first or the second permanent molars (n= 156) were sealed with two kinds of sealant. The tooth in one side was sealed with sealant (Concise, 3M-ESPE) and self-etching system (Adper and Prompt, 3M-ESPE) while the tooth in the other side was sealed with sealant (Concise, 3M-ESPE) and phosphate acid system. All the patients were followed up and reexamined 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment. Statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS 12.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) software package for Chi-square test and t test.

The operating time using self-etching system was (122 +/- 13)s, shorter than (219 +/- 13)s using phosphate acid system (P < 0.05). The self-etching system used only one step to finish etching, adhesion and treatment of tooth surface, saving the steps of rinsing and drying. The retention rates of pit and fissure sealant in self-etching system and phosphate acid system were 97.4% and 96.2% respectively at the third month, 94.9% and 92.3% at the sixth month, 91.0% and 88.4% at the end of one year after treatment. The prevalence rate of caries in both groups had no significant difference (P>0.05); No caries in both groups were found in the first three months; In patients using self-etching system, caries decreased by 100% at the sixth month and by 50% at the end of one year.

Adper Prompt self-etching adhesive, with an advantage of simple operation and shorter operation period, is effective in bonding sealant to the enamel. The retention rates of pit and fissure sealant were not different between the two groups.