Fissure sealants and PRR

Question 1

What is a fissure sealant

Answer 1

A material that is placed in the puts and fissures of teeth in order to prevent the development of dental caries

Question 2

What are the uses of fissure sealants

Answer 2

Primarily to prevent caries
Secondary use is to inhibit the progression of non cavitated carious lesions

Question 3

Who do we place fissure sealants in an on what teeth

Answer 3

All permanent molars of high caries risk children

Question 4

List some patient factors we consider when choosing patients who may need fissure sealants

Answer 4

1. Caries in primary teeth
2. Caries in other permanent teeth
3. Underlying medical conditions or predisposing factors to caries
4. Patients risk factors

Question 5

List some tooth factors we may consider when choosing patients who need fissure sealants

Answer 5

1. Depth of fissures
2. Hypomineralisation
3. Hypoplasia
4. Inaccessible areas that are hard to clean

Question 6

What Material is the fissure sealant we use made up of

Answer 6

Resin

Question 7

What other material can we use as a fissure sealants and when would we use this material

Answer 7

Can use GIC if the patent is un operative

Question 8

When is the failure risk for fissure sealants higher

Answer 8

When placed on new erupted teeth or in patents with a high caries risk

Question 9

What is a preventative resin restoration

Answer 9

Restoration of a small carious lesion into dentine where the lesion is in a low load bearing area

Question 10

What is the difference between a PRR and a fissure sealant

Answer 10

There’s some caries removal involved in preventative resin restoration
And PRR is more for the prevention of the SPREAD of caries