The effect of fissure morphology and eruption time on penetration and adaptation of pit and fissure sealants: An SEM study

Do nanofillers provide better physicomechanical properties to resin-based pit and fissure sealants? A systematic review

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the impact of nanofillers on the physicomechanical properties of resin-based pit and fissure sealants (RBS). This review included in vitro studies with full-length English-language articles reporting on the physicomechanical properties of nanofilled RBS until February 2023. PubMed, Web of Sciences, Scopus, and LILACS databases were accessed for literature searches. The review was formulated based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and used the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines and risk of bias Cochrane tool for quality assessment. The search resulted in 539 papers, of which 22 were eligible to be included in the review. Inorganic, polymeric, core-shell, and composite nanomaterials were used to reinforce the studied RBS. The inherent nature of the nanomaterial used, its morphology, concentration, and volume used were the primary parameters that determined the nanomaterial's success as a filler in RBS. These parameters also influenced their interaction with the resin matrix, which influenced the final physicomechanical properties of RBS. The use of nanofillers that were non-agglomerated and well dispersed in the resin matrix enhanced the physicomechanical properties of RBS.

Comparative Evaluation of Sealing Ability of Moisture-tolerant Sealant and Glass Ionomer Sealant Using Stereomicroscope: An In Vitro Study

Introduction/background

The preventive benefits of pit and fissure sealants rely on their retention and sealing ability. The drawback of the conventional pit and fissure sealant is its poor retention due to the presence of moisture. Among the numerous pit and fissure sealants available, newer hydrophilic sealants are ideal for children. This study evaluates and compares the sealing ability of hydrophilic sealant Embrace WetBond with conventionally used glass ionomer sealant under a stereomicroscope.

Materials and methods

A total of 48 extracted human premolars were randomly divided into two groups (N = 24) and sealed with Embrace WetBond and GC Fuji VII as per manufacturers' instructions. Following thermocycling, the sectioned samples were evaluated for sealant penetration, unfilled space, and total length of fissure under a stereomicroscope at magnifications 2.5×, 4×, and 5×. The values were measured in microns and in various fissure types using the "ImageJ app" to measure the sealant penetrability and sealing ability. The data recorded were statistically evaluated.

Results

The penetrability of moisture-tolerant sealant was better (87.8 ± 10.7) compared to that of glass ionomer sealant (73.8 ± 15.5) (p = 0.002). Among the samples, U-type fissure patterns displayed greater penetrability (94.2 ± 6.2), whereas IK-type fissures revealed the lowest degree of penetrability (67.5 ± 7.3).

Conclusion

Embrace WetBond is better than glass ionomer sealant with respect to penetrability and sealing ability under stereomicroscope hence recommended as a better sealant for pediatric clinical practice.

How to cite this article

Priscilla S, Shivashankarappa PG, Mohandoss S, et al. Comparative Evaluation of Sealing Ability of Moisture-tolerant Sealant and Glass Ionomer Sealant Using Stereomicroscope: An In Vitro Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023;16(S-1):S67-S71.

A novel application of a bioactive material as a pit and fissure sealant: in vitro pilot study evaluating the sealing ability and penetration

PURPOSE

To compare the sealing ability and penetration of a bioactive material used as pit and fissure sealant to those of glass ionomer sealant.

METHODS

This was an in vitro experimental study conducted on 20 permanent teeth. For Group I of ten teeth, ACTIVA BioACTIVE-Base/Liner was applied as a sealant on pits and fissures, and the remaining ten teeth of Group II were sealed using glass ionomer cement. After thermocycling, the apex of the teeth was sealed using composite resin and they were immersed in 1% methylene blue solution, buffered at pH 7 for 24 h. Longitudinal sections were obtained from each tooth for evaluating the sealing ability and penetration, using a binocular light microscope at 4 × magnification. The obtained data were subjected to analysis using the Chi-square test and independent t test.

RESULTS

The comparison of the sealing ability and sealant penetration, between the two groups, showed statistically no significant difference (p = 0.104 and p = 1.0, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Bioactive material as a pit and fissure sealant, performed on par with glass ionomer sealant in terms of tested properties like sealing ability and penetration.

Comparative Evaluation of Penetrative and Adaptive Properties of Unfilled and Filled Resin-Based Sealants When Placed using Conventional acid Etching, Lasing, and Fissurotomy Bur Technique of Enamel Preparation: An in vitro Scanning Electron Microscope Study

Background

There is a confusion regarding selection of unfilled or filled sealant and method of enamel preparation before sealant application. This study was carried out to compare three techniques of enamel preparation using both unfilled and filled type of sealants.

Objective

The objective of the study is to assess the penetrative and adaptive ability of filled and unfilled sealants in three techniques of enamel fissure preparations.

Materials and Methods

Total 36 extracted teeth were divided into 3 groups, each containing 12 samples. The samples of Group A were prepared by conventional acid etching with 37% phosphoric acid, and the Group B was subjected to Er: YAG lasing, while in Group C, fissurotomy followed by acid etching was done. The sealant placement was carried out using split tooth design in all the samples. Assessment of penetration and adaptation was done under scanning electron microscope using the scoring criteria adopted by Kane B et al. and Dukic W et al.

Results

Group A and Group C showed better adaptation than Group B. Statistically, no significant difference was observed in the penetration property among three techniques. Similarly, the unfilled and filled sealant showed statistically nonsignificant results for the penetration and adaptation comparison.

Conclusion

Irrespective of the sealant material selected, the conventional method of acid etching alone or in conjunction with fissurotomy bur for better retentiveness seems to be an acceptable choice of treatment modality. The study will help the clinicians to choose the sealant material and technique of enamel preparation.

Penetration and Adaptation of the Highly Viscous Zinc-Reinforced Glass Ionomer Cement on Contaminated Fissures: An In Vitro Study with SEM Analysis

Objective: To evaluate the penetration and adaptation of highly viscous zinc-reinforced glass ionomer cement (ZRGIC), using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), when applied under various contaminated conditions on grooves and fissures of primary second molars. Materials and Methods: A total of 40 extracted human primary second molars were randomly assigned into five groups (8 teeth each), with different surface conditions (conditioned with 40% polyacrylic acid, dry condition, water contamination, saliva contamination, or saliva contamination and air-drying) on the occlusal surface before placement of zinc-reinforced highly viscous glass ionomer cement with the finger-press technique. After sectioning the teeth, they were subjected to SEM analysis, where four in each group underwent aging by thermocycling and the other four were without aging. ANOVA tests, post hoc analysis, and unpaired t-tests were used for statistical analyses. Results: There was a significant statistical difference in the sealant penetration in the non-aging group, but in the aging group, there was no significant statistical difference in the sealant penetration. On other hand, a significant statistical difference was found in the adaptation between all the groups (p < 0.05). Highly viscous zinc-reinforced glass ionomer fissure sealants have better fissure penetration and more intimate adaptation under fissures conditioned with 40% polyacrylic acid and dry surface fissures with no contamination. However, the best penetration and retention after aging were under contaminated fissures with a shiny layer of saliva. Conclusions: The ZRGIC is a highly viscous fluoride-releasing cement, effectively seals fissures by interfering with food lodgment and protecting teeth from caries. It is advisable to restore the fissures with the minimal technique of sensitive fluoride-releasing GIC, particularly in young, uncooperative children, rather than leaving a caries-prone environment.

Pit and fissure sealants penetration capacity and their correlation with fissure morphology

Background and aims

Pit and fissure sealant placement corresponds to an effective approach of the prevention of caries on occlusal surfaces. Fissure morphology and dental material characteristics are the key factors for sealant effectiveness. The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the penetration ability of two commercially available pit and fissure sealants.

Methods

Twenty sound human premolars extracted for orthodontic purpose have been sealed according to manufacturer’s instructions as follows: Group I (n=10), light-cured unfilled resin-based sealant, Admira Seal® (Voco GmbH); Group II (n=10), resin modified glass ionomer sealant without varnish, GC Fuji Triage® (GC Corporation). The teeth have been sectioned buccal-lingually in the middle of the occlusal surface, and the sections were examined at 40× with an inverted microscope.

Results

Penetration of the sealants was found to be greater in U-type fissure pattern (91.69%) followed by V-type (75.42%), IK-type (71.24%) and then in I-type (63.98%). The depth of penetration of GC Fuji Triage® (82.85%) demonstrated to be superior to Admira Seal® (76.28%).

Conclusion

U fissure design was more common than other fissure patterns and showed significantly higher penetration for the two type of sealants evaluated. Resin modified glass ionomer sealant used in the present study perform comparably with the filled resin sealant.

Efficacy of CO lasers in preventing dental caries in partially erupted first permanent molars: a randomized 18-month clinical trial

The aim of this controlled randomized double-blinded clinical trial was to evaluate the use of a CO₂ laser with or without topical application of acidulated fluorides in the prevention of dental caries in partially erupted first permanent molars. We selected 61 healthy children at high risk of caries, all between 6 and 8 (7.1 ± 0.8) years of age and with 4 partially erupted first permanent molars. A CO₂ laser device emitting at 10.6 μm was used (0.5 W, 0.05 mJ per pulse, 10 kHz). Each first molar in an individual was randomly assigned to one treatment: (L) CO₂ laser (0.066 J/cm²); (FL) 1.23% acidulated fluoride gel and CO₂ laser (0.066 J/cm²); (V) 5% fluoride varnish, or (S) sealant (control). Patients were followed-up at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months after treatment, through direct visual examination and by an operator blinded to the treatments (kappa ≥ 0.70). The International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS-II) index was used to assess the soundness of tooth structure or the presence of white spot lesions, cavitated enamel, and/or dentin lesions. The Yildiz Visual Index was used to evaluate sealant retention. Results were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and the hazard ratio of the treatments was estimated using shared frailty models with a gamma distribution, which considered the patient as a cluster. There were no significant differences among treatments compared to sealants. After 18 months, the use of a CO₂ laser with or without acidulated fluorides was shown to be effective in preventing caries on the occlusal surface of partially erupted permanent first molars in children at high risk for caries.

Effect of One Percent Chlorhexidine Addition on the Antibacterial Activity and Mechanical Properties of Sealants: An in vitro Study

AIM

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of addition of 1% chlorhexidine digluconate solution on the antibacterial activity and mechanical properties of glass ionomer and resin based sealant.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Conventional glass ionomer sealant (GIS) (Fuji VII, Japan) and resin sealant (Clinpro 3M ESPE, USA) were used in this study. Chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) (20%) liquid was added to both the sealants, and the concentration of chlorhexidine in sealants was adjusted to 1%. The sealants were divided into four groups as: group A (GIS), group B (GIS + 1% CHX), group C (resin sealant), group D (resin sealant + 1% CHX). Five cylindrical specimens were prepared in each group. Their antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus, and their mechanical properties (compressive strength and diametrical tensile strength) were assessed. Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used appropriately for statistical analysis (SPSS version 19).

RESULT

Addition of one percent chlorhexidine significantly increased the antibacterial activity of both the sealants. There was a significant difference between groups A and B (p < 0.009), and groups C and D (p < 0.008). There was no significant difference in the mechanical properties of the sealants.

CONCLUSION

Addition of one percent chlorhexidine to the glass ionomer and resin based sealants provided sufficient antibacterial activity, without significantly affecting the mechanical property of the sealants. How to cite this article: Shanmugaavel AK, Asokan S, John JB, Geetha Priya PR, Gnana Devi J. Effect of one percent Chlorhexidine Addition on the Antibacterial Activity and Mechanical Properties of Sealants: An in vitro Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2015;8(3):196-201.

Avaliação dos selantes de fossas e fissuras aplicados por estudantes de Odontologia

INTRODUÇÃO: Selantes de fossas e fissuras são indicados para prevenir lesão de cárie em superfícies oclusais. OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os selantes de fossas e fissuras aplicados por estudantes do Curso de Graduação em Odontologia da Universidade Regional de Blumenau (FURB), Santa Catarina. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: O estudo descritivo retrospectivo desenvolveu-se em três etapas: na primeira, procedeu-se à análise dos prontuários do Setor de Triagem, tendo como critério de inclusão a existência de radiografias dos dentes selados. Na segunda etapa, analisaram-se as radiografias dos prontuários selecionados e a história clínica da criança. A terceira etapa foi realizada por meio de exames clínicos e radiográficos, pelos quais eram verificadas as condições dos selantes de fossas e fissuras. RESULTADO: Foram analisados 800 prontuários, sendo selecionados 131 (16,37%) para a segunda etapa, quando se observou que 321 selantes de fossas e fissuras foram aplicados. Compareceram à consulta de controle 119 (90,84%) crianças, ocasião em que se confirmou a aplicação de 160 (49,85%) selantes resinosos, 126 (39,25%) com cimento de ionômero de vidro e 35 (10,90%) com resina flow. Foram observados 296 (92,21%) selantes em dentes permanentes. Ao exame clínico, verificou-se que 114 (35,51%) selantes haviam sido perdidos totalmente em diferentes períodos de tempo. Nenhuma lesão de cárie foi observada em 294 (91,59%) dentes selados. CONCLUSÃO: Verificou-se que os selantes de fossas e fissuras, aplicados por estudantes do Curso de Odontologia da FURB, foram eficazes na manutenção da maioria das superfícies dentárias livres de lesão de cárie, mesmo quando foram perdidos parcial ou totalmente.