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Little is known about the effect of discontinuation of sealant or fluoride varnish. The purpose of this study was to compare sealant with fluoride varnish in the prevention of occlusal caries in permanent first molars of children over a nine-year period: 4 yrs for program evaluation plus 5 yrs of discontinuation. A clinical trial was conducted on three groups of six- to eight-year-old schoolchildren: a control group (n = 45); a group (n = 37) in which sealant was applied and reapplied up to 36 mos; and a group (n = 38) in which fluoride varnish was applied and re-applied up to 42 mos. Percent caries reduction was studied in these initially healthy molars with complete occlusal eruption: 129 (control), 113 (sealant), and 129 (varnish) molars met inclusion criteria. Of these, 76.7%, 26.6%, and 55.8% had developed occlusal caries at 9 yrs, which implies caries reductions of 65.4% (SE = 8.5%) for sealants vs. control and 27.3% (SE = 10.2%) for varnish vs. control. Furthermore, the varnish program was not effective during the discontinuation period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We hypothesized that the six-monthly application of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) can arrest the development of caries in the deciduous dentition of six-year-old schoolchildren and prevent caries in their first permanent molars. A prospective controlled clinical trial was conducted on the efficacy of a 38% SDF solution for caries reduction. Four hundred and twenty-five six-yearold children were divided into two groups: One group received SDF solution in primary canines and molars and first permanent molars every 6 mos for 36 mos. The second group served as controls. The 36-month follow-up was completed by 373 children. The mean number of new decayed surfaces appearing in primary teeth during the study was 0.29 in the SDF group vs. 1.43 in controls. The mean of new decayed surfaces in first permanent molars was 0.37 in the SDF group vs. 1.06 in controls. The SDF solution was found to be effective for caries reduction in primary teeth and first permanent molars in schoolchildren. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]