Oral Health | Clinical and Risk Asessment | Fissure sealing - When and where

Fissure sealing - when and where
Session overview
Description
This session will introduce fissure sealants. It will discuss the evidence for, application of, and the role of fissure sealants.

Learning objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• outline the evidence base for sealants
• list available materials
• describe the technique of sealant placement
• describe patient and tooth selection for sealant application
• outline the cost effectiveness of fissure sealants
• describe the effect of sealing over caries

The pits and fissures of the permanent molars are the most caries prone sites.

Pit and fissure sealants are defined as:
'…materials which are designed to prevent pit and fissure caries. They are applied mainly to the occlusal surfaces of molar teeth in order to obliterate the occlusal fissures, and remove the sheltered environment in which caries may thrive' [1](read details regarding the reference).

This definition of sealants is perhaps limited as it does not encompass therapeutic sealant usage, either as part of a restoration or placed to arrest caries. It also implies that their use is restricted to permanent molars, which is not the case.