Medical and economic efficiency of dental caries prevention through the use of fluoride sealant in schoolchildren

Aim. To study the medical and economic efficiency of the program for the prevention of dental caries using UltraSeal XT among schoolchildren of Kazan. Methods. In 2013, 200 schoolchildren from Kazan seen in the Republican Dental Clinic of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan (100 boys and girls aged 7–8) were selected. All patients were divided into two groups with similar distributions of sex and age: the test (main) group and control group. In the test group “Sealants”, the fissures of the first permanent molars were sealed with a composite fluorine-containing sealant according to the manufacturer's instructions. The control group was formed from children without dental sealants. The oral health assessment of children is reflected in the Examination Cards. Average indices of the severity of dental caries were determined (the number of decayed, filled and missing primary/permanent teeth — dmft/DMFT). Re-examination of children was carried out in 2016 with the determination of the same indicators. The economic analysis was carried out using the method of mathematical modeling. Statistical processing was performed in Microsoft Office Excel 2017. Results. The use of sealants at the age of 7–8 years provided a lower level of caries severity in deciduous teeth (4.09±3.0; p 0.05). The DMFT score in the permanent teeth of children in the test group of this age cohort (7–8 years old) was 0.66±0.95. The mean severity of dental caries DMFT index of 12-year-olds children with permanent dentition in the test group was 0.77±1.07, which is 1.52 more healthy teeth than in the control group — DMFT score 2.29±1.59 (t=4.01; p <0.01). The medical and economic efficiency of the fluoride prevention of dental caries in 12-year-olds schoolchildren through the use of a composite fluorine-containing sealant is expressed in the eradication of caries (less than 1 affected tooth according to the World Health Organization classification) and amounts to 437.38 rubles of notional saved costs per child for sealing versus dental treatment. Conclusion. The use of a fluoride composite material reduces the severity of dental caries in children and the ­notional saved costs for sealing teeth.