This study confirms the likelihood that remnants of high-viscosity glass-ionomer sealant material are retained and block the deeper parts of pits and fissures even after the sealant appears to have disappeared clinical ly , exercising their carious lesion preventive effect
OBJECTIVES Resin composite sealants are retained longer than low-viscosity glass-ionomer sealants .
Nevertheless , a systematic review showed that there is no evidence that resin composite sealants are superior to low-viscosity glass-ionomers in preventing dentine carious lesion development .
This case study aim ed to investigate reasons for this .
In vitro evaluation of sealing pits and fissures with newer glass-ionomer cements developed for the ART technique.
Four conventional glass-ionomer cements specifically developed for use with the atraumatic restorative treatment ( ART ) technique were compared with a resin-based sealant for marginal and surface dye penetration , material voids , and completeness of enamel fissure penetration .  Thirty sound permanent m and ibular molar teeth were r and omly divided into five groups . After delayed placement of the glass-ionomer cement sealants using st and ardized finger pressure , and conventional placement of the resin-based sealant using a dental probe , the teeth were first thermocycled then the crowns immersed in methylene blue dye before being sectioned . There were no statistically significant differences found between any of the five material s , apart from less marginal dye leakage being present for the resin-based sealant than for one of the glass-ionomer cements . The cements , however , showed better fissure penetration than did the sealant . Despite the delayed placement and higher viscosity , all of the glass-ionomer cements showed satisfactory penetration of the enamel fissures and minimal marginal and surface dye penetration , and material voids , when placed using firm finger pressure . The cements could prove to be useful in the dental treatment of apprehensive children
This study confirms the likelihood that remnants of high-viscosity glass-ionomer sealant material are retained and block the deeper parts of pits and fissures even after the sealant appears to have disappeared clinical ly , exercising their carious lesion preventive effect
OBJECTIVES Resin composite sealants are retained longer than low-viscosity glass-ionomer sealants .
Nevertheless , a systematic review showed that there is no evidence that resin composite sealants are superior to low-viscosity glass-ionomers in preventing dentine carious lesion development .
This case study aim ed to investigate reasons for this .