EFFECTS OF GLASS-IONOMER CEMENT, RESIN-BASED PIT AND FISSURE SEALANT AND HF APPLICATIONS ON OCCLUSAL CARIES IN A DEVELOPING-COUNTRY FIELD TRIAL

The aim of this community-oriented study was to evaluate different met hods to prevent fissure caries. The following products and measures we re tested: 1) glass ionomer cement (GIG) applied by dentist; 2) same m aterial applied by short term (3 days) trained personnel (teachers); 3 ) application of a 0.5% HF solution three times; 4) an established aut opolymerized resin based sealant (Delton). The study was performed in Bangkok, Thailand, a city in a developing country experiencing increas ing caries prevalence. Children with at least three sound permanent mo lars from two age groups, 7-8 and 12-13-yr-olds respectively were chos en from very low to medium socioeconomic level families. 1264 children were systematically assigned to experiment or control groups based on school and DMFT. For the younger age group, the 2 yr mean DFS occlusa l increment in the Control group was 0.66 surfaces. Significantly lowe r increments were observed in the GIC experimental group: 0.17 surface s applied by the teachers and 0.32 applied by dentist, corresponding t o 74% and 52% reductions, respectively. The mean increment in the HF g roup was 0.44 surfaces, a 33% reduction in relation to the Control gro up. For the 12-13-yr-olds, the mean occlusal surface DF increment was 0.70 surfaces in the Control group. Almost no occlusal increment was f ound in the Delton group, 0.05 DFS, a 93% reduction. In the GIC Dentis t group, the DFS increment was 0.48 and in the Teacher group 0.56, cor responding to 31% and 20% reduction, respectively. A slight and nonsig nificant increase of caries in relation to the Control group was obser ved in the HF group. Retention of Delton sealant was high, 92% after 6 months, retention of the GIC sealants was low. At the 6-months checku p, only 2-8% of these sealants were still present and also after reapp lication, a majority was lost.