The combined application of topical fluoride and fissure sealant--results after 2 years.

The effectiveness of combining the application of topical stannous fluoride and fissure sealing using Nuva Seal was tested in a group of school children over a 2-year period. The retention rate of the applied sealant was 71.1%. The caries reduction after 2 years was 76.8% which appears to be slightly better than comparable studies using the sealant alone. Staining of the fissures, which may indicate an uptake of the applied fluoride by the tooth was also observed. Whilst the combined approach theoretically should provide additional protection from dental caries following the loss of the applied sealant, further observations are necessary to substantiate the hypothesis.