Question · asked by 1 review
Fluoride varnish vs Fissure sealant (resin-based or glass ionomer): Caries incidence of occlusal surfaces of first permanent molars
- Population
- Generally healthy children aged 6 to 9 years with at least one fully erupted first permanent molar with deep fissures or early enamel caries (ICDAS 0-3)
- Intervention
- Fluoride varnish
- Comparison
- Fissure sealant (resin-based or glass ionomer)
- Outcome
- Caries incidence of occlusal surfaces of first permanent molars
After excluding Bravo 1996, occlusal caries incidence slightly favored fluoride varnish but was not significant, with heterogeneity falling to 0% (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.16; 3 RCTs; ungraded).
What each review found
Include earlier review versionsNo studies found 0 · 0%GRADE not reported 2 · 100%Very low 0 · 0%Low 0 · 0%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%
| Finding | Effect | Studies | GRADE certainty |
|---|---|---|---|
Fluoride varnish applied biannually vs Fissure sealant (resin-based or glass ionomer) Caries incidence of occlusal surfaces of first permanent molars · Generally healthy children aged 6 to 9 years with at least one fully erupted first permanent molar with deep fissures… · 2 to 3 years, Sensitivity analysis excluding Bravo 1996 (high risk of bias) After excluding Bravo 1996, occlusal caries incidence slightly favored fluoride varnish but was not significant, with heterogeneity falling to 0% (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.16; 3 RCTs; ungraded). Comparison between Fissure Sealant and Fluoride Varnish on Caries Prevention for First Permanent Molars: a… (2020) All outcomes | RR 0.98 [0.82, 1.16] | 3 studies | GRADE not reported |
Fluoride varnish applied biannually vs Fissure sealant (resin-based or glass ionomer) Caries incidence of occlusal surfaces of first permanent molars · Generally healthy children aged 6 to 9 years with at least one fully erupted first permanent molar with deep fissures… · 2 to 3 years Fluoride varnish and fissure sealant did not differ significantly in caries incidence of FPM occlusal surfaces at 2 to 3 years (RR 1.33, 95% CI 0.83 to 2.11; 4 RCTs; ungraded). Comparison between Fissure Sealant and Fluoride Varnish on Caries Prevention for First Permanent Molars: a… (2020) All outcomes | RR 1.33 [0.83, 2.11] | 4 studies · 6551 participants | GRADE not reported |
Findings are shown side by side, never pooled across reviews.
The reviews
| Review | Searched up to | Included studies | AMSTAR 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comparison between Fissure Sealant and Fluoride Varnish on Caries Prevention for First Permanent Molars: a Systematic Review and… 2020 All outcomes | February 2018 | 7 | Critically Low / Critically Low |
How reviews are matched to this question
Reviews word the same question differently. Four decision models (TypeSafe's Jev, Liquid AI's d1-ultra, SubQ Snap and Baseten's Elephant) judged each wording of the population, intervention, comparator and outcome against the others; two wordings count as the same when at least three of them agree and none clearly disagrees, and findings count as this question only when all four elements match. Timing, setting and subgroup never split a question: they are shown on each finding.