Abstract
Fissure sealant is used for the prevention of pit and fissure caries. Fluoride (F)-releasing sealant (F-sealant) was developed to supply the F to the enamel adjacent to the sealant. In this in vitro experiment, we studied both the amount of F released from sealant and the uptake of F by the hydroxyapatite and the human enamel.
We found that a very small amount of F was released from the F-sealant at least for a 4 month period. The amount of F released decreased gradually with time.
In the case of the hydroxyapatite, the F was incorporated into its surface during first 2 weeks. Thereafter, the F was incorporated into the much deeper layer of the hydroxyapatite.
The amount of F in the enamel of human tooth sealed with F-sealant was shown to be significantly larger than that of the control. The amount of F incorporated into the enamel was two time larger at 4 weeks than that at 2 weeks. Similarly to the hydroxyapatite, the F was incorporated into the much deeper layer of the enamel with the lapse of time.
Our data suggest that F-sealant can contribute the increase in the acidresistance and remineralization of the enamel.
