Two-year survival of glass ionomer sealants placed as part of proximal atraumatic restorative treatment restorations.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate after two years, the survival rate of glass ionomer cement (GIC) sealants placed in primary molars of six to eight year-olds and as part of proximal atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) restoration. DESIGN: A longitudinal clinical study. SETTING: Matungulu/Kangundo rural divisions, Machakos district, Kenya. SUBJECT: A total of 804 six to eight year-olds from rural Kenya received a sealant as part of a proximal restoration placed in a primary molar using the atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) approach. RESULTS: The two-year cumulative survival of the sealants was 10.9%, and the survival of the sealants was not significantly affected by the GIC material brand and the tooth-isolation method used. However, slightly more sealants survived when Fuji IX and rubber dam tooth- isolation method were used. CONCLUSION: The two-year survival rate of the sealants was poor and was not significantly influenced by the GIC material or the tooth-isolation method used.