Abstract
Background and aims. Marginal seal of the material is extremely important in fissure sealant therapy. The aim of this
study was to investigate microleakage of flowable composite resins and conventional fissure sealants with or without dentin
bonding agent.
Materials and methods. The occlusal surface of 60 intact extracted human premolars, divided into four groups, were
cleaned with pumice/slurry, etched with 37% phosphoric acid for 15 seconds, rinsed and dried. Groups were treated differently:
Excite bonding agent followed by Helioseal F fissure sealant in group1; Helioseal F alone in group 2; Excite bonding
agent followed by Tetric Flow in group 3; and Tetric Flow alone in group 4. Light-curing was done after each application.
After thermocycling, the whole surface of each specimen was coated with nail varnish except for one millimeter around the
fissure sealant. The teeth were immersed in 2% basic fuchsin for 24 hours and then sectioned buccolingually. The sections
were analyzed for leakage under a stereomicroscope. Data was analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests at a
significance level of P < 0.05.
Results. There were no statistically significant differences between the study groups in terms of the mean microleakage
scores (P > 0.05), except for groups 2 and 4 (P = 0.002) and groups 3 and 4 (P = 0.033).
Conclusion. Use of a flowable composite with bonding agent is a good alternative for sealing pits and fissures; however,
further in vitro and in vivo studies are necessary.