Initial leakage under pit and fissure sealants assessed by neutron activation.

Recently, a great deal of effort has been concentrated in the area of preventive dentistry. Among the many products to evolve from this effort are materials designed to obtund and to seal occlusal pits and fissures from the ingress of saliva and food particles. Topical and systemic fluoride treatments have proven effective in the reduction of smooth surface caries, but have shown little or no effect on pit and fissure surfaces.' On the other hand, autopolymerizing sealant materials gain retention from the pits and fissures into which they are placed, and thus, with proper sealing, are expected to isolate such areas of viable enamel from a cariogenic environment.2-4 The objective of this study was to examine the sealing capabilities of three commercially produced pit and fissure sealants with the use of a quantitative technique (neutron activation) and appropriate statistical analysis.