Dental caries is main cause of tooth loss in Korean children. Occlusal surface is most sensitive to dental caries. Occlusal surface caries can be prevented by sealing the pit and fissure.
The aims of this study were to investigate preventive effectiveness of dental sealants and to develope preventive system to reduce caries related problem in community level. We conducted dental sealant programme as a public oral health program in elementary school children to prevent occlusal caries and to improve oral health. Subjected teeth were 337 pairs of sound first molars. We checked and described the pattern of outline change of sealants and caries incidence every 3-month for 30 months.
The results were as follow;
1. The removal of sealant body was started on autopolymerized after 3 months, lightpolymerized after 6 months.
2. After 30 months, the sealant bodys were retained on 79.7% in cool dried, 76% in warm dried of autopolymerized group and 46.1% in cool dried, 42.6% in warm dried of lightpolymerized group.
3. Dental caries incidence rates were started to 3-9 months.
4. After 30 months, Dental caries incidence rates surveyed on 12.7% in cool dried, 9.3% in warm dried of autopolymerized group and 11.2% in cool dried, on 12.8% in warm dried lightpolymerized group.
5. After 30 months, caries preventive effectiveness was on 70.7% of autopolymerized and 72.5% of lightpolymerized sealant bodys.
6. After 30 months the retention rate was 22.1% on full, 67.5% on partial, 10.4% on loss in autopolymerized group and 54.6% on full 41.0% on partial, 4.4% on loss in lightpolymerized group.
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