Dental Sealants

Dental sealants are an excellent way to protect both you and your child’s teeth from dental decay.

Cavities occur mostly on our molars due to the natural grooves and depressions that are difficult to reach and hard to clean. When bacteria reaches these areas, they react with food and form an acid that will wear on the tooth’s enamel and cause cavities; sealants can protect your teeth from this kind of damage.

Sealants are a resin coating that is placed on the molars and premolars, in the pits and grooves, and any area that is prone to cavities. This protective coating seals the grooves and prevents food particles and harmful bacteria from accumulating.

Before sealants can be applied, the teeth will be examined and any decay will have to be removed. Dental sealants themselves are a painless procedure and do not require numbing.

When it’s time to place your dental sealants we will first clean and dry the tooth. Next we will apply a solution to the teeth that will etch the surface; this slightly roughens the tooth’s surface so that the sealing material adheres better. After the tooth is rinsed and dried again we will apply the sealant. The sealant material is simply painted on in a liquid form and hardened with the use of a ultraviolet curing light.

Sealants generally last for 10 years but should be inspected regularly. We recommend that they are applied on children’s permanent teeth as early as possible, usually between the ages of 6-14. Sealants don’t require any special care and you should brush and floss as you normally would.

In conjunction with excellent oral hygiene and regular cleanings, sealants are a great method for decay prevention in children.  We encourage all parents to consider dental sealants as a proactive step to good oral health.