Week 3- Sealants, PRR & ART Flashcards
What are pits?
Small pinpoint depression located at junction or terminals of developmental grooves.
What are fissures?
Deep, very narrow channel, cleft, ditch or crevice formed at depth of developmental grooves during tooth development.
What depth of the fissure can be seen/accessed?
0.4mm
How do fissures form?
Calcification commences at the tips of the cusps and, as the cusps grow, they will fuse at the completion of the occlusal surface of the crown
What 5 types of fissures form when fusions are not complete?
V-type
U-type
I-type
IK-type
Inverted Y type
What is the issue with fissures?
- Provide ideal environment for caries
- Higher risk of undetected demineralisation
- Plaque retention
- Speed of penetration can be very fast with devastating results
What % of dental caries occur on occlusal surface?
80%
What are risk factors for pit and fissure caries?
Younger children
Permanent teeth
What are fissure sealants?
Introduction of a seal onto the occlusal, buccal and palatal pits and fissures of susceptible teeth creating a physical barrier to block biofilm nutrition and prevent acid-forming bacteria proliferation.
What is a useful tool to diagnose pit and fissure caries?
Bitewing radiographs
What is the benefit of fissure sealants?
- Important in preventing pit and fissure caries in high risk population
- Can arrest progression of early non-cavitated areas
What are the different sealant materials?
Resin based
GIC
What are the properties of resin based sealants?
- Durable
- Polymerization shrinkage = microleakage
- Stronger biofilm accumulation
What are the properties of GIC sealants?
- Chemical bond
- Fluoride release
- Occlusal forces – weaker
What are indications for fissure sealants?
- Presence of deep pits and fissures
- Suspected/initial occlusal caries in children and young adults
- Children susceptible to occlusal caries
- Children coming from non-fluoridated areas with increased caries experience
What are contraindications for fissure sealants?
- Shallow pits and fissures
- Well established carious lesions (cavitation)
- Teeth with proximal caries
- Partially erupted teeth (difficult for isolation)
What is the aim of fissure sealant materials?
Flow resin into depths of fissure
What are the steps of placing resin fissure sealant?
- Clean tooth with pumice/brush & water or minimal fissurotomy
- Rubber dam
- Etch and bond
- Apply sealant
- Check for overhangs and ditches
- Check occlusion
What is an alternative technique to clean the tooth prior to sealant placement?
Air abrasion