What is the difference between primary and secondary prevention?
Primary prevention is intended to prevent the onset of disease—in this case, using sealants to prevent caries. Secondary prevention is intended to treat a patient who presents early (preclinical) signs of a disease to stop the disease from progressing. As a secondary preventive measure, a sealant is placed on an early, noncavitated lesion to stop it from progressing to a cavitated lesion. Do the recommendations say anything about using X-rays? A footnote to the sealant recommendations states that dentists should use recent radiographs, if available, in decision-making, but should not take radiographs for the sole purpose of placing sealants. The ADA/FDA radiographic guidelines include recommendations on prescribing and patient selection. What is the difference between a “noncavitated” lesion and an “incipient” lesion? The recommendations use the term “noncavitated,” which is defined as pits and fissures in fully erupted teeth that may display discoloration not due to extrinsic staining
