Retention of dental sealants -five years' post application lower socioeconomic class of Karachi

The current study was aimed towards evaluating retention of the sealants on the first permanent molars of low socioeconomic class children 5 years post application. Also presence and absence of dental caries was determined. It is a follow up study to evaluate the retention of sealants placed during a randomized control trial conducted in children of low socioeconomic class school of Karachi in January 2006. In 2011, after five years, the retention*of fissure sealants among study group was assessed. Using visual examination with the aid of a dental explorer and an intra oral mirror, sealants were evaluated on occlusal surfaces of first permanent molars and divided into three categories; retained, partially retained and lost. These molars were also checked for the presence or absence of dental caries. Data were entered in SPSS version 17.0. Frequency distribution was established. Two hundred molars were sealed out of which 41.5% were completely retained, 44.5% were retained partially and 14% were lost over the period of 5 years post application. Sealants are effective method of preventing dental decay in pits and fissures if they are retained