Dental Sealants for the Prevention of Dental Caries

Abstract


 Three guidelines recommend the use of dental sealants to prevent or manage dental caries in children and adolescents. Sealants may be used as a preventive measure upon the eruption of molars, or as treatment to arrest or reverse noncavitated carious lesions. Sealants may be used alone or in combination with other treatments that protect against tooth decay.
 Overall, the guidelines were rigorous, comprehensive, and clearly reported, but there were gaps in guidance about implementation, choice of sealant material, and selection of patients.
 There is a need for methodologically rigorous guidelines on dental sealants for the prevention of dental caries that are developed for use in Canadian settings.