Preventive Sealants

Take a moment to touch the molars at the back of your mouth. Do you feel the crevices and pits on them?

While regular brushing and flossing can easily remove plaque from the hard surfaces of the teeth, these can sometimes be ineffective when it comes to pits and fissures. When the bacterial breakdown of residual food occurs, it forms acid, which dissolves away the protective enamel of the tooth.

Preventative sealants act as a barrier against plaque buildup and acids in the vulnerable areas on the posterior tooth’s chewing surface. They are usually tooth-colored or transparent to match the appearance of the natural teeth. It has been proven that preventative sealants reduce the risk of cavities by 80%.

The most common types of preventive sealants used are composite resin sealants, polyacid modified resin sealants, and resin-modified glass ionomer sealants. Typically, preventative fissure sealants must have less viscosity so that they can flow into the pits and fissures of the tooth.

Preventative sealants are the most effective if applied to the tooth soon after eruption. This is why the procedure is most often recommended for children between the ages of 6 and 12, whose permanent molars have come out. Dental sealants can also be applied to the bicuspids or premolars. However, not every child requires a preventative sealant.