Dentaltown July 2022 - 57

D
uring my fi rst decade of clinical practice, I thought sealant
" success " meant retention of the bulk of material. Retention
is a frequent metric mentioned in sealant studies, and
my formal dental education led me to believe resin was the
preferred sealant material because it does not wear.
Unfortunately, a lot of my misconceptions about glass ionomers
were the result of a lack of training and limited experience with the
material. I previously believed glass ionomer should be used only as a
liner or crown cement because it would " wash out. "
In my private pediatric dental practice, the patients often stay
from the time they are toddlers until they are in college-a perfect
opportunity to see which materials and techniques truly stand the
test of time. Over time, I noticed a recurring problem under my older
patients' leaking or chipped resin sealants: Decalcifi cation or frank
cavitation of the underlying enamel. This observation coincided with
my adoption of minimal interventions for caries management and
increased usage of glass ionomer restoratives.
I no longer judge a sealant based on retention of the sealant material,
but rather its ability to prevent caries. Glass ionomer cement
(GIC) fi ssure sealants are as effective as resin-based fi ssure sealants in
the prevention of dental caries in the permanent dentition of children.1
12
Steps to Success:
Applying Glass Ionomer
Cement (GIC) Sealants
Clean the tooth with plain pumice and rinse.
1
2
However, several key physical properties of GIC make it a
superior choice of material for sealants.
Key benefi ts
1. Hydrophilic. Glass ionomer sealants are hydrophilic and can be
placed on a moist surface. GIC works better in a wet fi eld, making
it easier for clinicians to handle.2
GIC also has the unique ability to
adhere to moist enamel and dentin without necessitating an intermediate
agent.3
It frustrated me that sometimes I couldn't achieve
the isolation necessary for resin sealants because of a patient's poor
cooperation, dental anxiety, strong gag refl ex or special needs-even
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Dentaltown July 2022

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