The retention of fissure sealants using twenty-second etching time: three-year follow-up.

The retention of a self-polymerized fissure sealant applied after twenty seconds etching time was evaluated after three years. From the original 100 molars that were sealed, seventy-one teeth with 105 sites were available. The sealants were totally retained in 91 percent of the cases, after three years. The findings demonstrate that the retention rates of fissure sealants using twenty seconds etching time are comparable to those reported with the more conventional sixty seconds.