Surface antibacterial properties of fissure sealants.

PURPOSE Sealants form a physical barrier between the oral environment and deep fissures that contribute to caries prevention. It is postulated that sealants possessing antibacterial properties are advantageous. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial properties of four pit and fissure sealants using direct contact test (DCT) and agar diffusion test (ADT). METHODS For the DCT, 8 samples of Helioseal F (Vivadent), Ultraseal XT (Ultadent-Weldent), Conseal F (SDI), and Dyract Seal (Dentsply) were placed on the sidewalls of wells of a 96-microtiter plate. After polymerization, freshly grown Streptococcus mutans cells (circa 1 x 10(6)) were placed on the surface of each sample for 1 hour at 37 degrees C. Fresh media was then added to each well and bacterial growth was followed for 16 hours by temperature-controlled spectrophotometer. Similarly prepared samples were aged in phosphate buffered saline for 14 and 30 days and the DCT was repeated. The ADT was performed by placing samples in uniform wells punched in agar plates. RESULTS Freshly polymerized samples in the DCT, Dyract Seal and Ultraseal XT possessed prominent antibacterial properties. Dyract Seal also demonstrated the most potent antibacterial properties, which lasted 14 days but faded within 30 days. In ADT, the halo in the bacterial lawn was measured after 48 hours, and only Dyract Seal demonstrated an inhibition zone. CONCLUSIONS The compomer-based sealant Dyract Seal possessed the most potent and longest lasting antibacterial activity.