Pit & Fissure Sealants

Sealants are a clear, acrylic-like material that helps shield decay causing bacteria from the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. We recommend that sealants be applied to a child's primary (baby) molars by the age of three or four years. Once the six-year molars (the first permanent back teeth) appear, it is best to apply sealants as soon as possible. As a child's most cavity-prone years continue until the mid-teens, the premolars should also be sealed as they appear. Sealants are by no means a cure-all in preventing all forms of tooth decay. However, they are helpful to patients - particularly children - in controlling decay in certain areas of the mouth.

The sealant material is applied to a clean tooth. First, a mild acid solution is gently applied to the chewing surface. This prepares the tooth enamel to bond more effectively to the sealant material. Next the tooth is thoroughly washed and dried. Finally, the sealant material is applied to the tooth. A special light is applied to harden the sealant.

Sealant material bonds to the chewing surface of the back teeth, forming a protective barrier covering the pits and fissures (depressions and grooves). Sealants are an intermediate preventive step in delaying or preventing tooth decay on these areas of back teeth. Depending on the chewing pattern, the sealant effect can last a number of years. At recall appointments we always check to make sure the sealant material is intact.