Cariology and Prevention 2 Practice Test

Preparing occlusal surfaces for sealant placement means cleaning away the pellicle and debris to expose a clean, dry enamel surface suitable for bonding. The methods you’ll typically see described are using pumice slurry with a prophy cup to scrub away debris and pellicle, and using air-polishing with a prophy jet to thoroughly clean the pits and fissures. A dry-bristle toothbrush alone isn’t recognized as a standard, effective method for preparing the occlusal anatomy for sealing. Sandblasting with aluminum oxide, or air abrasion with aluminum oxide, is not described as a routine cleaning step for sealant prep in many guidelines because it’s a more aggressive surface alteration method and isn’t considered part of the standard cleaning sequence before bonding. Hence, sandblasting with aluminum oxide is the option not described for preparing occlusal surfaces prior to sealant placement.