Preparation before acid etching in fissure sealant therapy: yes or no?: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The authors of this systematic review and meta-analysis had 2 aims: to evaluate fissure sealant retention with and without the use of a preparation method and to compare fissure sealant retention using the preparation-only method before sealant placement with the conventional acid-etching procedure.

TYPES OF STUDIES REVIEWED: The authors conducted a literature search (from database inception through June 2, 2016) to identify studies for inclusion in this systematic review. The authors assessed the quality of the evidence with the modified Jadad scale and performed the meta-analysis by using a random-effects model.

RESULTS: The authors considered 12 studies (8 for the first part and 4 for the second part) that met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review and meta-analysis. In the analysis of the first part of the systematic review, the authors found that the preparation method before acid etching had a significant positive effect on fissure sealant retention (odds ratio, 3.262; 95% confidence interval, 1.782-5.971; P = .001). In the analysis of the second part of the systematic review, the authors found that there were no significant differences between the preparation-only method and the conventional acid-etching method in terms of fissure sealant retention (odds ratio, 1.241; 95% confidence interval, 0.534-2.888; P = .616).

CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The use of a preparation method before fissure sealant application can increase sealant retention. However, preparation alone cannot substitute the conventional acid-etching method before sealant placement.