RESEARCH ARTICLE

Retention Loss of Resin Based Fissure Sealants - a Valid Predictor for Clinical Outcome?

The Open Dentistry Journal 23 Aug 2013 RESEARCH ARTICLE DOI: 10.2174/18742106201305130001

Abstract

Purpose:

The null-hypothesis that retention loss of resin fissure sealants predicts caries manifestation no more accurately than random values was tested.

Methods:

Systematic reviews were checked and electronic databases searched for clinical trials. Trials reporting on the retention of resin sealants and caries occurrence in permanent molar teeth, with minimum 24-month follow-up period, were included. Extracted data: number of sealed teeth, number of teeth without completely retained sealants, number of sealed teeth with caries. The number of teeth with complete sealant retention and absence of carious lesions/cavities was calculated; the predictive outcomes: true/false positive; false/true negative were established. Random values were generated as control-data. Diagnostic Odds ratios (DOR) were computed and tested for statistical difference. Summary Receiver Operating Characteristic curves were plotted.

Results:

95 trials were found. Median DOR values were 1.21 and 0.28 for test- and control data, respectively. Wilcoxon test (z = 0.56; p = 0.58) and Sign test (z = 1.38; p = 0.17) results were statistically non-significant. The null-hypothesis was not rejected.

Conclusions:

Predictions based on the retention loss of resin sealants, regarding caries manifestation, was no more accurate than random guesses. Sealant retention loss appears not to be a valid predictor for clinical outcome.

Keywords: : Diagnostic Odds ratio, fissure sealant, resin, retention, surrogate endpoint, tooth caries.
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