Degradation of tooth occlusal fissure and pit sealants by wear and corrosion pathways: a short review

The aim of this work was to perform a short scoping review on the degradation of tooth occlusal fissure and pit sealants by wear and corrosion processes occurring in the oral cavity or in simulated saliva solutions. A Medline search was conducted for related scientific articles published within the last twenty years reporting the wear rate and corrosion of tooth occlusal fissure sealant. The wear volume, elastic modulus, and strength values were also provided for the different sealants and correlated with their chemical composition regarding inorganic fillers and organic matrix. Resin–matrix sealants with high volume content of micro/nano-scale inorganic fillers revealed a higher strength and wear resistance when compared to glass ionomer-based sealants. The dominant wear mechanisms consisted of abrasion, corrosion, and surface fatigue under reciprocating sliding tests. Thus, the content, shape, and size of inorganic fillers in the microsctruture play a key role on the degradation behavior of occlusal fissure sealants. The selection of materials determine the performance and successful clinical outcomes of tooth occlusal fissure and pits sealants.