Two-year report of sealant effect on bacteria in dental caries.

Teeth in which caries had penetrated the pits and fissures were sealed with an ultraviolet-light-polymerized sealant. Samples of carious dentin were taken from teeth that were not sealed and from teeth that were sealed, up to two years after the sealant had been placed. The major reduction in viable microorganisms occurred during the first two weeks, and there was a gradual reduction in the total count thereafter. At the end of two years, there was a 2,000-fold decrease in the number of cultivable microorganisms. Preliminary clinical and radiographic findings suggest that there was no progression of the carious lesions, but further studies are needed before this technique can be considered an alternative to conventional procedures.