Impact of calcium fluoride loading on the physicochemical and antibacterial properties of different pit and fissure sealants.

Authors

Yukyung Choi, Seung Yeon Lee, Wonjoon Moon, Hong-Keun Hyun, Adriana P Manso, Ji-Soo Song, Shin Hye Chung

Published in

Dental materials : official publication of the Academy of Dental Materials. Oct 13, 2026. Epub Oct 13, 2026.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of incorporating calcium fluoride (CaF₂) particles into different pit and fissure sealants on their physicochemical properties, fluoride release, and antibacterial activity.
Three commercially available sealants were tested: Clinpro Sealant (CLP), UltraSeal XT Plus (USP), and UltraSeal XT Hydro (USH). Each material was modified with CaF₂ at 0, 5, 10, and 15 wt%. Calcium fluoride powders were examined using scanning and transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Degree of conversion, water sorption, solubility, and wettability were measured. Fluoride release was monitored for 90 days. The antibacterial effects against Streptococcus mutans were evaluated using colony counts and biofilm formation assays.
CaF₂ particles showed high crystallinity with an average particle size of about 99 nm. Incorporation of CaF₂ did not influence the degree of conversion in CLP and USP, whereas USH showed a concentration-dependent reduction with a marked decrease at 15 wt%. Water sorption remained stable in CLP across all concentrations, but significantly increased upon adding 15 wt% CaF2 to USP and 5 wt% CaF2 to USH. Fluoride release increased steadily and was dependent on CaF₂ concentration, with CLP showing the highest release values. Antibacterial and antibiofilm effects were dose-dependent, with significant inhibition observed from 10 wt% upward, regardless of sealant type.
The incorporation of CaF₂ into pit and fissure sealants has been demonstrated to enhance fluoride release and antibacterial activity without compromising most physicochemical properties. However, higher concentrations of CaF₂ resulted in a reduced degree of conversion for USH, a more hydrophilic sealant. Overall, loading up to 5 wt% CaF₂ into commercial dental sealants resulted in an optimal balance between antibacterial effects and material physicochemical properties.

PMID:
42869757
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 14 Oct 2026.

Read full publication at:
Please sign in to see all details.

Stats

1-terrible, 9-excellent. How would you rate this publication? Sign in in to submit your rating.

Post a comment

You need to be signed in to post comments. You can sign in here.

Comments

There are no comments yet.