Fissure Sealants Flashcards
1
Q
Define a fissure sealant:
A
- hard, insoluble filled or unfilled resin material
- used in liquid form
- fills pits and fissures without cutting enamel surface
- usually clear or opaque
2
Q
What are the functions of a fissure sealant?
A
- eradicate deep pits and fissures
- aid effective toothbrushing
- prevent development of caries
3
Q
What sites are commonly sealed?
A
- occlusal fissures of molars
- buccal pits of lower molars and palatal pits of upper molars
- cingulum pits of upper incisors
4
Q
How are fissure sealants classified?
A
- how they are polymerised: self-cure, light cure
- their colour: clear, tinted, opaque
- whether they contain a filler: filled, unfilled
5
Q
What are fissure sealants filled with?
A
- lithium alumina silicate
- increased resistance to abrasion
- problem of increased wear of opposing teeth
6
Q
When are fissure sealants indicated?
A
- high caries risk
- limited manual dexterity
- medically compromised
- tooth can be isolated
- deep fissure pattern
7
Q
What are the contraindications of fissure sealants?
A
- poor patient cooperation
- caries present
- previously restored tooth
8
Q
What is the acid etch technique?
A
- 30-50% phosphoric acid
- approx 8 microns enamel dissolved
- creates porosities 50 microns deep
Type 1 etching pattern: prism core removed, peripheral material left (most common)
Type 2: prism core remains, peripheral region removed
Type 3: haphazard effect, not related to prism morphology
