EFDA Sealant Application and Polishing 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When polishing teeth prior to sealant placement, which abrasive is recommended?
- Fluoride-containing prophy paste
- Oil-free, fluoride-free pumice or prophy paste (Correct answer)
- Sodium bicarbonate air-polishing powder
- Coarse diamond paste
Correct answer: Oil-free, fluoride-free pumice or prophy paste
Fluoride-free, oil-free prophy paste or pumice is used because fluoride can interfere with etching and oils can contaminate the bonding surface.
Question 2: A sealant placed over an incipient (non-cavitated) carious lesion will most likely:
- Accelerate the progression of decay beneath the sealant
- Arrest caries progression by sealing bacteria from nutrients (Correct answer)
- Cause the enamel to remineralize immediately
- Result in pulpal exposure over time
Correct answer: Arrest caries progression by sealing bacteria from nutrients
Research supports that intact sealants over non-cavitated lesions arrest caries by cutting off bacterial access to fermentable carbohydrates.
Question 3: What isolation method is considered the GOLD STANDARD for sealant application?
- Cotton rolls alone
- Dry angles and saliva ejector
- Rubber dam (Correct answer)
- Gauze squares placed in the vestibule
Correct answer: Rubber dam
Rubber dam provides the most reliable moisture control and is considered the gold standard for sealant placement, though cotton roll isolation is commonly used in practice.
Question 4: Which statement about glass ionomer sealants is CORRECT?
- They require acid etching before placement
- They release fluoride and adhere via chemical bond to enamel (Correct answer)
- They are more durable than resin-based sealants
- They must be light-cured to set properly
Correct answer: They release fluoride and adhere via chemical bond to enamel
Glass ionomer sealants chemically bond to tooth structure and release fluoride, making them useful for partially erupted teeth where isolation is difficult.
Question 5: After curing a light-cured sealant, the surface often feels sticky. This is called the:
- Polymerization shrinkage layer
- Oxygen-inhibited layer (Correct answer)
- Surface tension residue
- Monomer bleed-through layer
Correct answer: Oxygen-inhibited layer
The oxygen-inhibited layer forms on the sealant surface because oxygen in the air inhibits polymerization of the outermost resin, leaving a tacky uncured layer.
Question 6: When checking the occlusion after sealant placement, which material is used?
- Disclosing solution
- Articulating paper (Correct answer)
- Prophy paste
- Fluoride gel
Correct answer: Articulating paper
Articulating paper marks the areas of premature occlusal contact so the EFDA can identify and adjust high spots on the sealant.
Question 7: The concentration of phosphoric acid most commonly used for enamel etching prior to sealant placement is:
- 10%
- 20%
- 37% (Correct answer)
- 50%
Correct answer: 37%
37% phosphoric acid is the standard concentration used for enamel etching because it effectively demineralizes the surface within the recommended application time.
EFDA Sealant Application and Polishing 3
When polishing teeth prior to sealant placement, which abrasive is recommended?