Pit and Fissure Sealants

The global increase in dental caries prevalence continues to be a major public health problem which deserves attention worldwide. If remedies to prevent it are not initiated, it may cause a serious negative impact on the future oral health (and systemic health) of the people. Also, it would put strain on the dental profession due to a major increase in the cost of dental services. Various preventive strategies for dental caries have been tried and are still being developed. The occlusal pits and fissures of posterior teeth are highly susceptible to caries because of the anatomy of pit and fissure surfaces, which favours stagnation of bacteria and substrates. Pit and fissure sealing is an an evidence- based caries preventive method for protecting the occlusal surfaces of teeth against caries. Pit and fissure sealants can be used effectively as part of a comprehensive approach for caries prevention on an individual basis or as a public health measure for high risk population. Sealants are an effective caries preventive modality in the arsenal of dentistry and public should be educated about it for better utilization.