Dental Sealants

Sealants can help preserve your child's smile for a lifetime. Though dental sealants are not a cure-all in preventing tooth decay, they are cost-effective and helpful to patients- particularly children in controlling decay in certain areas of the mouth.

Permanent molars are the most likely to benefit from sealant application. First molars usually come into the mouth when a child is about 6 years of age. Second molars appear at about age 12. It is best if the sealant is applied soon after the molars have erupted, before the teeth have a chance to decay. For that reason, children between the ages of 5 and 15 benefit most from sealants.

Preventing Tooth Decay

Sealant material forms a protective barrier by bonding to tooth surfaces and covering natural depressions and grooves (called pits and fissures) in the teeth. More than 75% of dental decay begins in the pit and fissure areas of the back teeth. Combined with proper home care and regular dental visits, sealants are extremely effective in preventing tooth decay.

Application

Applying sealants does not require drilling or removing tooth structure. In this painless three-step process: A dentist or dental hygienist gently, but thoroughly cleans the tooth with a special toothpaste. A special solution is applied to the chewing surface of the tooth to condition the enamel and help it bond more effectively to the sealant material. Once the tooth is thoroughly washed and dried sealant material is painted on the tooth and allowed to harden. The entire procedure takes only few minutes.

Sealant Look and Feel

Upon close examination sealants can be seen. Sealants can be clear, white, or slightly tinted. Because they are used only on the back teeth, sealants cannot be seen when a child talks or smiles.

Like anything new that is placed in the mouth, a child may feel the sealant with the tongue. Sealants, however, are very thin and only fill the pits and grooves on molar teeth.

Lasting Affect

One sealant application can last for as long as 5 to 10 years, however depending on your chewing pattern, the sealant effect can last many years. Even though the sealant material is durable, at subsequent dental appointments we make sure that the sealant material is intact. Occasionally, we might need to replace or add a new layer of sealant material to keep the protective barrier strong and effective.