Soft-start polymerization of fissure sealant: retention after three years

• Published in: Collegium antropologicum Vol. 31; no. 4; p. 1089
• Main Authors: Glavina, Domagoj, Vranić, Dubravka Negovetić, Milosević, Sandra Anić, Bergman, Većeslav, Majstorović, Martina, Skrinjarić, Ilija
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Croatia 01-12-2007
• Subjects: Child; Dental Caries - prevention & control; Dental Fissures - therapy; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Pit and Fissure Sealants - chemistry; Pit and Fissure Sealants - therapeutic use; Polymers - chemistry
• ISSN: 0350-6134

The aim of this study was to investigate retention of composite fissure sealant polymerized with standard and soft-start technique after a three year clinical trial. One hundred teeth were divided into two groups (A&B) of teeth and sealed with composite material (Visioseal, 3M Espe) using split mouth design. Sealants were polymerized using standard (Group A) and soft-start (Group B) techniques with commercial polymerization unit (Elipar Highlight, 3M Espe). Retention rate in Group A was 72%. In 14 teeth sealant was partially or completely missing. Group B showed retention rate of 80%. Sealant was partially or completely missing in 10 teeth. Six new caries lesions in Group A (3) and B (3) were detected. Mann-Whitney test did not reveal significant differences between the polymerization techniques. After three years complete retention of sealants, regardless of the group, was 76% (76 teeth) with six new caries lesions. Soft-start polymerization showed a comparable retention rate as the standard polymerization technique.