Consultants’ Comments
- “The opaque shade is excellent for visibility of the sealant on the teeth; use the clear material where esthetics is a concern.”
- “Adheres well.”
- “The instructions did not indicate which bonding agents are compatible with the sealant and if the use of a bonding agent improves retention.”
- “Very runny.”
- “Include narrower applicator tips in the kit.”
Description
Alpha-Dent Light Cure Pit & Fissure is a light-cured, resin-based pit and fissure sealant that contains fluoride. The flowable viscosity provides coverage and protection to seal the pits and fissures of teeth susceptible to caries. Before sealing, the tooth must be etched with 37% phosphoric acid for 15 seconds. The use of a light-cured bonding agent is optional. Alpha-Dent Light Cure Pit & Fissure is available in both opaque and clear formulations. Curing time is 20 seconds with a halogen or LED visible light-curing unit with an output of at least 300 mW/cm2. The kit evaluated contains three, 1.5-ml syringes of Alpha-Dent Light Cure Pit & Fissure with 10 applicator tips; one, 4.0-g syringe of Alpha-Etch37 gel with 10 applicator tips; and 20 disposable brushes. Alpha-Dent Light Cure Pit & Fissure opaque shade was evaluated by 25 clinical consultants to seal 310 teeth. This product received an 84% clinical rating.
Product Features
Alpha-Dent Light Cure Pit & Fissure is a complete, compact kit with clear, concise manufacturer’s instructions. The opaque shade of Alpha-Dent Light Cure Pit & Fissure is highly visible on the tooth and is easy to adjust after curing. Consultants reported that the low viscosity material flowed well into pits and fissures, was easy to manipulate and produced smooth margins; however, most consultants noted that the low viscosity resulted in Alpha-Dent Light Cure Pit & Fissure flowing out too quickly from the syringe with excess sealant being expressed onto the tooth. Many consultants switched to narrower lumen applicator tips to control the flow better. Thirty-six percent of consultants found Alpha-Dent Light Cure Pit & Fissure to be equivalent to or better than their current pit and fissure sealant.
Clinical Tips
- Pulling back on the plunger after dispensing will prevent continued flow out of the syringe.
- Use very small increments of the sealant.
- Place sealant into the center of the tooth and use a brush to spread it into grooves and to remove excess.
- Use a smaller diameter applicator tip.
Editors’ Note:
Alpha-Dent Light Cure Pit & Fissure is now only available in bottles. Please note that this product was originally evaluated as an unfilled formulation of Alpha-Seal. The manufacturer has since changed the formulation and made this a separate product.
This clinical evaluation is only published in THE DENTAL ADVISOR Online.
