Table 2 Details of accepted trials

Dichotomous datasets

Oba et al., 2009 [32]

Ketac Molar

3 years

Barja-Fidalgo et al., 2009 [33]

Fuji IX

5 years

Karlzén-Reuterving and van Dijken, 1995 [20]

Fuji III

Arrow and Riordan, 1995 [21]

Ketac Fil

Williams et al., 1996 [22]

Fuji III

Rock et al., 1996 [23]

Baseline

Kerrvanto- Seppälä et al., 2008 [24]

Fuji III

Beiruti et al., 2006

Fuji IX

[26]

Poulsen et al., 2006 [27]

Fuji III

Radiograp-hically carious

Lesions into dentine

X-Ray

First permanent molars

2.3 - 3.2 years

Forss and Halme, 1998¹ [28]

Fuji III

Mejàre and Mjör, 1990 [29]

Fuji III

5 years

Boksmann et al., 1987 [30]

Fuji III

Poulsen et al., 2001 [31]

Fuji III

Forss et al., 1994¹ [37]

Fuji III

Williams and Winter, 1981 [38]

ASPA

Article

Continuous datasets

Patient character-istics/potential confounders*

Songpaisan et al., 1995 [25]

Fuji III

Forss and Halme, 1998¹ [28]

Fuji III

Forss et al., 1994¹ [37]

Fuji III

Oba et al., 2009 [32]

Study conducted in a boarding school in the city of Kırıkkale/Turkey

7-11 years

Children received instructions on good oral health care and were individually shown how to clean their teeth prior to the start of the treatment; inclusion criteria were: (1) sound pits and fissures in fully erupted first molars; and (2) pits and fissures diagnosed with an early enamel lesion; exclusion criteria were: (1) partly erupted first molar; (2) an obvious cavity in the occlusal surface; and (3) the presence of a restoration or a sealant (or part of it) in the pit and fissure system;

Resin-based fissure sealant material containing fluoride

Barja-Fidalgo et al., 2009 [33]

Study carried out in the Department of Paediatric Dentistry, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro/Brazil;

mean age 6.8 years (±0.98 SD)

With at least 1 permanent first molar erupted and 2 or more primary molars decayed, filled, or extracted due to caries; most from low socio-economic background with high caries-risk; the participants were also given oral hygiene instructions and dietary counselling; those who had dental care needs were referred to the paediatric dental clinic for appropriate restorative and surgical treatment; participants reported brushing their teeth daily, 11% reported using dental floss regularly, and 67% had a dental check-up once a year first molars that presented a sound occlusal surface or occlusal caries at the D1 level (non-cavitated enamel lesion) entered the study; low patient compliance and high saliva contamination during treatment reported.

-

Karlzén-Reuterving and van Dijken, 1995 [20]

Children from Umea/Sweden

mean age 7 years, 1 month

Teeth without clinical evidence of caries were sealed

-

Arrow and Riordan, 1995 [21]

Children from Perth/Australia

mean age 7 (SD 0.72) years

With sound, unsealed, homologous 1st permanent molars

-

Williams et al., 1996 [22]

Children from Suffolk/UK

6-8 years

Recently erupted visually caries free 1st permanent molars; resealed teeth were excluded

Fluoride concentration of drinking water 0.1 - 0.5 mgF/l

Rock et al., 1996 [23]

Children from Tamworth, Staffordshire/UK

7-8 years

Caries free fully erupted 1st permanent molars; children had evidence of caries in primary teeth

The resin-based sealant FluroShield contains fluoride; fluoride concentration of drinking water 0.13 ppm

Kerrvanto- Seppälä et al., 2008 [24]

Children from Varkaus/Finland

12-16 years

2nd permanent molars considered to be at risk of caries were sealed; teeth with lost resin sealant were resealed and not excluded from the study.

-

Beiruti et al., 2006 [26]

Children from Damascus/Syria

mean age 7.8 years

No cavities in primary teeth; inclusion criteria: sound pits and fissures in fully erupted 1st permanent molars, pits and fissures with early enamel lesion and/or small dentinal lesion; exclusion criteria: partly erupted tooth, obvious occlusal cavity, presence of restoration or sealant in pits and fissures.

-

Poulsen et al., 2006 [27]

Children from Vaerlose/Denmark

8-13 years

Mean DMFS was between 0.5 and 0.7 for 12-year-old children and between 1.4 and 1.8 for 13-year-old children; sound surfaces, and surfaces with initial or arrested caries (white or brown fissures) were sealed, if the dentist's clinical assessment indicated a caries risk; only children with both clinical and radiographic data were included in the present study

Fluoride content of the drinking water 0.25 ppm; all children commonly use fluoridated toothpaste

Forss and Halme, 2006 [28]

Children from Raisio/Finland

5-14 years

Contra-lateral pair of newly erupted non-sealed permanent molars or premolars

-

Mejàre and Mjör, 1990 [29]

-

mean age 9.2 (5.7 - 15.0) years

-

-

Boksmann et al., 1987 [30]

-

6-18 years

Patients had not received topical fluoride treatment for at least 3 months prior.

Fluoride content of the drinking water 1 ppm or more

Poulsen et al., 2001 [31]

Children from Damascus/Syria

7 years

Only children with at least one pair of caries free permanent 1st molars or with incipient lesions; average DMFT 0.6 -0.7.

-

Forss et al., 1994 [37]

Children from Raisio/Finland

5-14 years

Contra-lateral pair of newly erupted non-sealed permanent molars or premolars

-

Williams and Winter, 1981 [38]

-

6-8 and 11-13 years

-

-

Songpaisan et al., 1995 [25]

Children from Bangkok/Thailand

12-13 years

From very low to medium socio-economic background; children with at least 3 sound permanent molars (erupted sufficiently)

Included in a fluoride mouth rinse programme (0.2% NaF) every 2 weeks; fluoride concentration of drinking water 0.1 - 0.2 ppm