Sealants

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Sealants

Because the teeth in the back of the mouth (molars and premolars) have numerous grooves on their biting surfaces, certain areas of these teeth are often difficult to clean even with vigorous brushing – sealants are used to fill in these narrow grooves in a tooth that cannot be adequately cleaned with normal dental hygiene practices.

Dental sealants are thin plastic coatings that are applied to the grooves on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth where most tooth decay occurs in children and teens. Sealants protect the chewing surfaces from tooth decay by keeping germs and food particles out of these grooves.  Permanent molars are the most likely to benefit from sealants. The first molars usually come into the mouth when a child is about 6 years old while second molars appear at about age 12. It is best if the sealant is applied soon after the teeth have erupted, before they have a chance to decay.

Applying sealants usually does not require drilling or removing tooth structure. The process is short and easy. After the tooth is cleaned, a special gel is placed on the chewing surface for a few seconds and the tooth is then washed off and dried. The sealant is painted on the tooth and the dentist or dental hygienist also may shine a light on the tooth to help harden the sealant. It takes about a minute for the sealant to form a protective shield.