Associate Dean for Prevention and Public Health Sciences Professor University of Illinois, Chicago. College of Dentistry
Participants should be aware of the following financial/non-financial relationships: . Karen Benelazar, DMD: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.. Scott L. Tomar, DMD, MPH, DrPH: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.. Maria E. Davila, DDS, MPH, DrPH: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
Abstract: Purpose: This study sought to estimate the cumulative incidence of decay on primary molars treated with glass ionomer (GI) sealants in a community-based prevention program for preschool children in a primarily seasonal farmworker community. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study by using data from University of Florida Sealant Outreach Program in Guadalupe Center in Immokalee, FL. A chart review was conducted for 56 schoolchildren ages 2–5 years in 2018–2019 who received Fuji sealants on primary molars. We included all children who had ≥1 recall visit after sealant placement. Results: Participants included 26 male and 30 female preschool children. Mean (±SD) age of the participants was 3.57 ±0.66 years, and mean follow up time for sealant check was 162.87±71.50 days. There were 72 decayed primary molars at the initial visit, a mean of 1.29±1.89 per child. 367 GI sealants were placed on non-carious/non-restored primary molars, an average of 6.55±1.97 sealants per child. At the follow up, there was a total of 10 newly decayed primary molars among the 367 teeth that had been sealed, a mean of 0.23±0.66 newly decayed teeth per child. Cumulative incidence (CI) of decay among all sealed teeth was 2.7%, with highest CI on primary mandibular second molars (#K = 7.3%; #T = 6.8%). Conclusions: CI of caries was very low among sealed primary molars in this high caries risk population. GI sealants may be an effective prevention strategy for primary molars among young children at high caries risk.
Source of Funding: Research supported by the Naples Children and Education Foundation (NCEF)
