Comparative evaluation of penetration ability of three pit and fissure sealants and their relationship with fissure patterns

Statement of the Problem: Pit and fissure sealant placement is considered as an effective modality for prevention of caries on occlusal surfaces. Penetration, retention and lateral wall adaptation are the key factors in success of pit and fissure sealant restorations

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to compare penetration ability and lateral wall adaptation of three commercially available pit and fissure sealants

Materials and Method: The present in-vitro study was done on 45 extracted sound human molars to evaluate the fissure pattern and assess the penetration ability of three commercially available sealants [Delton FS Sealant [Dentsply DeTrey GmbH, Konstanz, Germany], Clinpro Sealant [3M ESPE, Minnesota, USA] and GC Fuji VII Glass Ionomer Cement [GC Asia Dental Pte Ltd, Singapore]] on molars divided into 3 equal groups of 15 each, with further sectioning of each sample into 2 parts giving 30 samples per group. Following thermocycling and embedding of teeth in clear auto-polymerizing acrylic resin, sections were evaluated for fissure morphology, sealant penetration, unfilled space, lateral wall adaptation, and for presence of voids

Results: Penetrability of all the sealants studied was found to be significantly more in U-type fissure pattern [93.89%] followed by V-type [78.62%], IK-type [74.34%] and then in I-type [65.91]. The depth of penetration of the GC Fuji VII Glass Ionomer sealant [85.82%] was found to be superior followed by unfilled resin sealant [Clinpro Sealant- 78.26%] and then by filled resin sealant [Delton FS Sealant- 74.89%]

Conclusion: U- type fissure pattern was more common than other fissure patterns and showed significantly higher penetrability of different type of sealants evaluated in the present study. GIC based sealant, due to significantly higher penetration depth than unfilled and filled sealants used in the present study, can be preferred over filled or unfilled resin sealants

Occlusal characteristics and prevalence of associated dental anomalies in the primary dentition

Introduction Morphological variations in primary dentition are of great concern to a pediatric dentist as it may pose clinical problems like dental caries, delayed exfoliation and also anomalies in the permanent dentition, such as impaction of successors, supernumerary teeth, permanent double teeth or aplasia of teeth. The present study was conducted to investigate the presence of dental anomalies in the primary dentition of 1000 schoolchildren in the 3–5 year-old age group in Faridabad. Materials and methods One-thous and schoolchildren were examined using Type III examination [WHO, 1997] for primary molar relationship, occlusal characteristics, primate spaces, physiological spaces and other anomalies of teeth, including number and morphology. Results and conclusions The prevalence of physiological spaces in maxillary and m and ibular arches was 50.9% and 46.7%, respectively, whereas primate spaces were found in 61.7% of the children in the maxillary arch and 27.9% in the m and ibular arch. The prevalence of unilateral anterior and posterior cross-bite was 0.1% and 0.8%, respectively, in the present study. The prevalence of hypodontia in the primary dentition was found to be 0.4% and the prevalence of fusion and gemination in the present study was 0.5%. Double teeth [fusion and gemination] and hypodontia were the most common dental anomalies found in the primary dentition in the present study