Modules
Module 4: Materials and Application Techniques

4.1 Sealant Material Selection

Sealant Materials Attributes

Programs should select dental sealant materials with the following attributes:

  • Materials should have high retention rates. Although documentation of effectiveness in published clinical trials is preferred, such documentation is not available for many sealant materials, especially those that are new to the market.
  • Materials should self-adjust rapidly through normal occlusion (For more information, see “Filled vs. Unfilled Materials.”)
  • Materials should be reasonably priced.
  • Materials should require minimal armamentarium and equipment maintenance.
  • Materials should be easily detected on visual assessment, both at time of placement and at follow-up.
  • Materials should have a relatively short application time (while maintaining high retention rates).
  • Materials should allow adequate control of working characteristics, particularly setting time and flow.

ODH provides school-based dental sealant programs with copies of the School-Based Dental Sealant Program Manual1, which offers guidelines for selecting dental sealant materials, including a list of characteristics of most sealant products.