Cost-effectiveness analysis of fissure sealants for caries prevention in children

Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of resin-based and glass ionomer-based fissure sealants compared with no intervention for children. Methods: We developed a Markov-based decision analytic model that simulated Turkish children from aged 6 to 15 years. Two types of costs were explored from the payers' perspective and the health care system perspectives. A cost-effectiveness analysis of resin-based and glass ionomer-based fissure sealants was conducted to quantify their effectiveness using the number of caries prevented and the quality-adjusted tooth years (QATYs). Costs and effectiveness measures were discounted at 3% per year. Results: The most cost-effective intervention was resin-based fissure sealant, with an additional $5.34 per caries prevented and $1.86 per QATY gained compared with no treatment. Conclusion: Fissure sealants particularly resin-based sealants are cost-effective for children in Turkey due to their low cost and highly preventive characteristics.