In Vitro Comparative Evaluation of Er,Cr:YSSG Laser and Conventional Etching Methods on the Microleakage and Adaptation of Pit and Fissure Sealants
INTRODUCTION Currently, dental caries is the most prevalent chronic infectious disease among children and adolescents. According to a World Health Organization report, approximately 90% of the world’s population suffers from dental caries (1). Due to their complex morphologic structure, pits and fissures of occlusal surfaces are the most caries-affected surfaces and susceptible to decay (2, 3). In the preventive dentistry field, there have been many advances in treatments and preventive techniques for dental caries, such as topical or systemic fluoride applications, sugar substitutes, pit and fissure sealants (mechanical barriers), and antimicrobials (4).