The effect of saliva contamination after washing up acid on fissure sealant microleakage

The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the microleakage of fissure sealant in isolated state and non isolated state. 32 extracted human premolars were stored in a saline solution at room temperature. Two grooves preparations longitudinally occlusal-gingival were prepared in buccal surface of each tooth, one of these grooves in each tooth were filled by fissure sealant, and the other groove has been contaminated with saliva after washing up acid, then filled by fissure sealant. The teeth were thermocycling between 5° C and 55° C for 2000 cycles, then the teeth were immersed in a 0.5% basic fuchsine solution for 24 h. Teeth sectioned longitudinally in a buccal-lingual direction, the sections were examined and a ranked scale was used to score dye penetration. Mann–Whitney U –test and Pearson chi-squared test were used to compare the groups for statistically significant differences at 5% significance level. Statistical analysis did not demonstrate any significant difference in the degree of microleakage of sealants in isolated state and non isolated state (P=0.35). This in vitro study demonstrated that micro leakage was evident in the test group as well as the control group, so saliva contamination for five seconds or less didn’t have any effect in sealants’ microleakage.