A concise review of dental sealants in caries management

Abstract

This concise review provides an update of the use of dental sealants. Dental sealants protect a tooth from caries development by providing a physical barrier to microorganism colonisation and creating a favorable environment for patients to clean. Some sealants release fluoride ions to promote remineralization. Dental sealants can be applied on pits and fissures of primary and permanent teeth to prevent and arrest early enamel caries. They are effective in caries prevention. The preventive fraction of resin sealant is up to 61% after 5 years. Dental sealants can be classified as resin, glass ionomer and hybrid (compomer or giomer) according to the material. Recent studies from 2012 to 2022 showed resin sealant has a high retention rate of up to 80% after 2 years, whereas glass ionomer sealants is 44%. Chemical etching with 37% phosphoric acid is the standard of care, whereas laser or air-abrasion cannot does not increase the sealant retention rate. Moist control is critical and studies found the use of rubber dam and cotton rolls had similar success for sealant retention. The longevity of dental sealant is also associated with clinical operative factors, including approaches of moisture control, enamel pretreatment, selection of dental adhesive, and time of acid etching.

Remineralization Induced by Biomimetic Hydroxyapatite Toothpastes on Human Enamel

“…Table 3 provides an interpretation of the results acquired from the FTIR study. The FT-IR spectra of all samples (e.g., Figure 2) are very comparable, displaying all absorption peaks for the PO 4 3− , OH -, and CO 3 2− groups in hydroxyapatites. FTIR spectra lack bands assigned to vibrations of non-apatitic HPO 4…”

“…The toothpastes were prepared utilizing various substituted hydroxyapatites containing magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), strontium (Sr), and silicon (Si) as substitution elements. According to the literature, zinc (Zn 2+ ), magnesium (Mg 2+ ), and strontium (Sr 2+ ) ions can be placed in the calcium position; SiO 4 4− ions can be placed in the PO 4 3− and hydroxyl position of hydroxyapatite; and carbonate (CO 3 2− ) ions can be placed in the hydroxyl and phosphate positions [56], with a change in their mechanical properties accordingly [66].…”

“…Dental caries, referred to as tooth decay cavities or simply caries, is caused by bacteria that demineralize and destroy the tooth's hard tissues, including enamel, dentin, and cementum. If left untreated, the decay can progress into the tooth, causing pain and infection, which can eventually lead to tooth loss [4][5][6][7].…”

Decoding Early Childhood Caries: A Comprehensive Review Navigating the Impact of Evolving Dietary Trends in Preschoolers

“…Proven effective, they are instrumental in preventing and halting pit-and-fissure occlusal caries lesions in both primary and permanent molars among children [ 71 ]. Additionally, sealants can impede the progression of noncavitated occlusal caries lesions [ 72 ]. Research indicates resin sealants offer a preventive fraction of up to 61% over five years [ 72 ].…”

“…Additionally, sealants can impede the progression of noncavitated occlusal caries lesions [ 72 ]. Research indicates resin sealants offer a preventive fraction of up to 61% over five years [ 72 ]. These sealants can be categorized into three types: glass ionomer, resin-modified glass ionomer, and resin-based sealants, with the latter preferred for their superior retention and effective caries prevention [ 72 ].…”