A five years clinical evaluation of sealed occlusal surfaces of molars

Air-abrasion can be used for enamel preparation before fissure sealing as well as acid etching which is the evidence-based method for enamel preparation before sealing.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the status of sealed occlusal surfaces of the first permanent molars after one, two, and five years and to compare consequence of using the two different methods for enamel preparation before sealing.

At the baseline of the study 88 children of the age from 6 to 9 with caries-free permanent molars randomly received 185 sealants after using the air-abrasion system KCP 2000 PLUS (ADT Inc.) and 121 sealants using the acid etching method with Vococid (VoCo). Fissurit F (VoCo) was used for sealing. The status of occlusal surfaces of molars was scored as caries- free or decayed/restored by visual clinical assessment evaluation after one, two, and five years.

The sealants retention rate was 97.2%, 91.9%, 61.2% in the air-abrasion group and 96.3%, 92.6%, 62.4% in the acid etching group after one, two, and five years, respectively. The results showed 98.2%, 98.0%, 89.8% caries free occlusal surfaces of molars prepared with air-abrasion method and 100%, 100%, 94.6% caries free occlusal surfaces of molars prepared with acid etching method after one, two, and five years respectively.

The differences between the two methods: air-abrasion and acid etching in terms of sealant retention rate and caries development appeared to be statistically insignificant (p>0.05).