Evaluation of different methods for cleaning and preparing occlusal fissures

The effectiveness of different methods for cleaning and preparing occlusal fissures before placing sealants was evaluated. Extracted mandibular molars received such treatments as brushing, pumicing, bur preparing, and air abr asion before application of fissure sealants. FluroShield fissure sealant,v as then applied to the occlusal fissures. Specimens were subjected to therm ocycling and then immersed in a 10% solution of methylene blue, and finally sectioned. The sections were examined and photographed in a stereomicrosco pe, and the dye penetration was recorded using a scoring system. The result s indicated that only the control (brushing with a dry brush) and the pumic ing groups demonstrated dye penetration to the base of the sealant. Teeth p repared with the #1/4 round bur and air abrasion demonstrated a better seal in evaluated fissures. For this study, those three groups (occlusal fissur es prepared with the #1/4 round bur and two air abrasion methods), demonstr ated significantly better sealing (P < 0.01) than the control group and the other groups tested.