Clinical Evaluation of Pit and Fissure Sealants

Pit and fissure sealants are considered an effective preventive approach in protecting teeth from caries, particularly by transforming deep, plaque-retentive occlusal surfaces into smooth, easily cleanable areas. These materials act as a physical barrier on the tooth surface, limiting the access of microorganisms to nutrients and thereby inhibiting bacterial activity. In this thesis study, the long-term clinical performance of a newly introduced bioactive resin-based pit and fissure sealant, BioCoat™ (Premier, USA), was compared with that of a fluoride-releasing resin-based sealant, Fissurit FX (Voco, Germany). The null hypothesis of the study was that there would be no statistically significant difference in the clinical success rates between the two sealant materials.