Comparison of Retention and Marginal Discoloration of Self-Etch and Total-Etch Adhesives before Pit and Fissure Sealant Application on Permanent Second Molars in Pediatric Patients. A 1-year follow-up longitudinal study

Objective: To compare the retention and marginal discoloration of Self-etch and Total Etch Adhesive during Pit and Fissure Sealant application at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. Materials and methods: 30 school-going children received sealants in all four permanent second molars, carried out in the Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry. The fully erupted second permanent molars were randomly allocated into 3 groups: group A (self-etch), B (Total etch), and C (control group). According to the split mouth design, each patient received sealant in the second molar with self-etch in one arch and total-etch in the other arch; contra-lateral molars were kept in the control group. Results: No statistically significant difference was found in the marginal discoloration and microleakage of fissure sealants placed on occlusal surfaces following use of an SE bonding agent and traditional TE adhesive after 12 months. Conclusion: When TE adhesive was put on before sealant, the same amount of microleakage or marginal discoloration happened in the occlusal fissure of permanent teeth as when SE adhesive was put on before sealant.