Resin-based sealant effectiveness in high-caries risk children: a systematic review
Issued Date
2025-12-01
Resource Type
eISSN
14726831
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105005979727
Journal Title
BMC Oral Health
Volume
25
Issue
1
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
BMC Oral Health Vol.25 No.1 (2025)
Suggested Citation
Paemanukornruk Y., Luksamijarulkul N., Gaewkhiew P. Resin-based sealant effectiveness in high-caries risk children: a systematic review. BMC Oral Health Vol.25 No.1 (2025). doi:10.1186/s12903-025-06158-0 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/110456
Title
Resin-based sealant effectiveness in high-caries risk children: a systematic review
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Abstract
Background: There have been limited previous reviews on the use of sealants in high-caries-risk children that include multiple study designs. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the preventive effect of sealants on high-caries-risk children and compare the effectiveness of sealants between high-caries-risk children and lower-caries-risk children. Methods: An initial protocol was developed following the PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was performed across several electronic databases, including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase and Google Scholar. Experimental or observational studies that examined resin-based sealants for preventing caries over at least 12 months in high-caries-risk children, identified by individual risk assessment, were included. Comparison groups were moderate- or low-risk children or no sealant; if unavailable, only intervention data were used. The risk of bias was assessed via the RoB2 tool and the Newcastle‒Ottawa Scale. Results: A total of 1651 unique records were identified, 20 of which were included in this systematic review. Studies comparing only sealed teeth among different caries risk groups have indicated that high-caries-risk children have a greater risk of developing new carious lesions than low- or moderate-risk children do. In contrast, the effect of sealants was negligible in low-caries-risk children when compared between sealed and nonsealed teeth. Additionally, caries experience was the primary criterion used across all included studies. Conclusion: Resin-based sealants are still recommended for high-caries-risk children. However, generalizability and an appropriate threshold for risk assessment remain unclear owing to the limited number of studies from low- to middle-income countries and variability in risk assessment methods. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO Registration number CRD42023473013. Clinical trial number: Not applicable.