Is pit and fissure sealing necessary to effectively prevent dental caries?

Many children have tooth decay, which is related to bad eating habits and lack of attention to oral hygiene. Mothers are very worried about their children having tooth decay. Then pit and fissure sealing will reduce your concerns and can effectively prevent the occurrence of tooth decay in babies.

1. The role of pit and fissure sealing

The occlusal surface (the side for chewing food) of the large teeth at the back of everyone's mouth is uneven, and the sunken areas are called pits and fissures. If these pits and fissures are not well developed, they will be very deep, and food and bacteria will be embedded in them, making dental caries (also called "cavities") very likely to occur. Medically, this type of caries is called pit and fissure caries. According to oral epidemiological surveys, more than 90% of caries among Chinese adolescents occur in pits and fissures. The "sixth-year molar" is a common site for pit and fissure caries. It is the first permanent molar to erupt, has the strongest chewing function, and is most susceptible to caries, and may even fall out prematurely, so it is important to protect children's first permanent molars. Pit and fissure sealing is the most effective method to prevent pit and fissure caries in permanent molars.

2. Basic Operations

1. Cleaning

Install a small brush on a low-speed handpiece, thoroughly clean the pits and fissures on the tooth surface to be sealed, and then rinse thoroughly with a water gun.

Please note that you must use a small machine brush in conjunction with a three-way gun to clean the pits and fissures on the tooth surface. Using the three-way gun alone will not achieve the cleaning effect. Secondly, the cleaning of the lingual (palatal) groove of the maxillary molars and the buccal groove of the mandibular molars cannot be ignored. If some pits and fissures still have soft plaque after cleaning with a small machine brush, you can use a probe in conjunction with a three-way gun to clean them.

2. Acid etching

After cleaning the tooth surface, use a cotton roll to isolate it from moisture, blow the tooth surface dry and keep it dry. Use a small brush or cotton ball to dip an appropriate amount of etchant and apply it to the pits and fissures on the tooth surface to be sealed. Do not apply it repeatedly. The etched area is generally 2/3 of the bevel of the tooth tip. Conventionally, 37% phosphoric acid gel is used for etching, and the etching time is 20-30 seconds (the etching time of different products may vary, so please read the product instructions carefully). After acid etching, rinse the tooth surface with a water gun for 10 to 15 seconds to ensure that the residual acid etching agent is rinsed away. While rinsing, use a saliva suction device to absorb the rinse solution. Do not let the patient spit out the rinse solution on his own to prevent the acid-etched tooth surface from being contaminated by saliva.

Be careful not to apply too large an area of ​​etchant, otherwise it may corrode the gums. In addition, attention should be paid to moisture isolation to prevent the movement of the tongue from contacting and causing corrosion due to the etchant. The buccal groove of the mandibular molars and the lingual (palatal) groove of the maxillary molars should be etched without missing any. Whether it is the upper or lower molars, when the field of vision is not very clear, a mouth mirror should be used to avoid missing the erosion of the tooth surface pits and fissures.

3. Rinse and dry

Immediately after rinsing, use a cotton roll to isolate the moisture and blow dry the tooth surface. The tooth surface should have a chalky appearance after drying. If this does not happen after acid etching, it means that the degree of acid etching is not enough and the tooth should be etched again. During the operation, ensure that the etched tooth surface is not contaminated by saliva. If saliva contamination occurs, the tooth surface should be rinsed again, and the etching steps should be repeated after it is thoroughly dried.

4. Apply sealant

Use a small brush or special instrument to apply an appropriate amount of sealant on the dry tooth surface. To ensure that the sealant fully penetrates into the pits and fissures, use a small brush or probe to guide it. Be careful not to leave any bubbles in the pits and fissures after sealing.