Fissure Sealants
Talk to us about using sealants in your school age child! Sealants can protect your children’s back teeth, so that they may never need to have a filling! They are a protective plastic coating, which are applied to the chewing surfaces of teeth at risk of decay.
The chewing surfaces of back teeth have small grooves or fissures which often extend right down into the tooth itself. However well the teeth are brushed, these fissures are very difficult to clean thoroughly. Bacteria and food particles stick to them and eventually cause decay. Fissure sealants completely seal off these grooves, preventing any food particles or bacteria from getting in. They do not affect the normal chewing function of teeth.
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Sealants can be applied to the 1st and 2nd permanent molars to help protect the grooves and pits of these teeth that can be hard to clean and are prone to developing cavities, and appropriate premolars as soon as possible after they erupt (usually after 6 years of age).
THE PROCEDURE
First the fissure is checked for decay. Then the process simply involves cleaning the tooth surface, preparing it with a special solution, and then applying the coating. No injections or drilling are needed, and the entire process is pain free.
When should it be done?
The first permanent back molars are usually sealed between 6 and 7 years of age. If required, the rest of the molars are usually sealed as soon as they appear which can be any time between 11 and 14 years.
Do the teeth need special care afterwards?
No special care is needed, but the back teeth still need to be brushed regularly with a good toothbrush, preferably using fluoride toothpaste. It’s also important to keep going to the dentist for regular check-ups and cleanings.
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After