A comparative study of clinical effectiveness of fissure sealing with and without bonding systems: 3-year results.

Aim: This prospective clinical study evaluated the sealant retention rate and caries-preventive efficacy of two fissure sealing techniques over a 3-year period.

Methods: Subjects (87) aged between 6.5 and 11.5 years were enrolled into two groups. In Group I (41 subjects), a resin-based fissure sealant (Fissurit FX, VOCO, Germany) was placed on all four sound permanent first molars (FPM-164 teeth) of each subject and in Group II (46 subjects) on 4 caries-free premolars (P1-2 182 teeth),using the following adhesives systems: Optibond FL (Kerr, USA), Optibond Solo plus (Kerr, USA), Prompt-L-Pop (3 M ESPE, USA) or the conventional acid-etch technique. Sealed teeth were evaluated at baseline, 6, 12, 18, 24 and 36-month intervals with regard to retention and new caries development. Sealant retention was scored as: (1) complete retention; (2) partial loss; (3) complete loss of sealant.

Statistics: Wilcoxon-signed rank test was used to analyse the data.

Results: The complete retention rate was: Optibond FL/sealant 80.01-82.92 %, Optibond Solo plus/sealant 73.78-74.27 %, Prompt-L-Pop/sealant 42.84-53.65 % versus acid-etch technique 62.86-71.44 % on FPM and P1-2 (p < 0.05). The fissure caries incidence rate was: Optibond FL/sealant 2.43-2.85 %, Optibond Solo plus/sealant 2.85-4.76 %, Prompt-L-Pop/sealant 24.40-34.28 % versus acid-etch technique 16.66-17.14 % (p < 0.05) on FPM and P1-2. A statistically significant difference in sealant retention rate was observed between FPM and P1-2, using the self-etching adhesive system Prompt-L-Pop and acid-etch technique.

Conclusion: It may be concluded that the use of adhesive systems Optibond FL and Optibond Solo plus yielded better fissure sealing performance.