Effect of resin infiltration system and pit-fissure sealant on white spot lesion: An in vitro study

Demineralization causes dissolution of calcium hydroxyapatite crystals from enamel surface and leads to formation of micro-porosities resulting in chalky white patches on tooth surface thereby causing a white spot lesions. Therefore, it is of interest to compare the surface roughness, micro-hardness and masking effect of commonly used pit and fissure sealant (GC, fuji VII, IVOCLAR, helioseal F) and DMG ICON in artificial carious lesions. A total of 80 freshly extracted premolars were collected for the study. The enamel surfaces were treated using both resin infiltration and fissure sealant techniques (GC, fuji VII, IVOCLAR, helioseal F). Surface roughness was assessed with a surface profilometer, while microhardness was evaluated using the Vickers hardness test. The masking effect was determined through the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The highest surface roughness was observed in specimens treated with DMG ICON, followed by those treated with GC Fuji VII, while the lowest roughness was recorded by Helioseal-F in the group. In terms of microhardness, GC Fuji VII demonstrated the highest values, followed by Helioseal-F, with ICON showing the lowest. The masking ability was found to be most effective in the ICON group, which outperformed both Helioseal-F and GC Fuji VII. ICON camouflages the white spot lesions by matching the refractive index of healthy enamel. GC fuji VII helps to prevent white spot lesions by releasing fluoride, but cannot reverse or mask existing one.