SPLIT-MOUTH STUDY OF SEALANT RETENTION WITH CARBON-DIOXIDE LASER VERSUS ACID ETCH CONDITIONING

A split mouth clinical trial was undertaken to compare the retention o f fissure sealants placed using laser or acid conditioning. After a me an follow-up period of 14.5 months, the retention rate for laser condi tioning was greater than that for acid etching (97.9 per cent versus 9 4.6 per cent, respectively), although this difference was not statisti cally significant. No adverse effects occurred during or subsequent to laser conditioning procedures. It is concluded that carbon dioxide la ser conditioning is a viable alternative to acid etching for fissure s ealing.