Sealants
What is a Sealant?
Sealants are a protective varnish that is placed to protect the deep grooves in your back teeth. 75% of dental decay starts in these deep grooves where bacteria can hide and accumulate. The smooth sealant covers the grooves and prevents the bacteria and dental decay from occurring. Sealants can be placed in teeth in both children and adults to protect teeth that have never had decay before. The best time to place a sealant on children is when their first molars come in at 6-7 years of age and their second molars come in at ages 11-14.
What do sealants involve?
It is common to seal the teeth during a routine cleaning appointment. The best time to seal teeth is right after the teeth have been cleaned. After the cleaning, the hygienist will polish the teeth with a special tooth paste, the tooth will be prepared with a specialized gel, and the sealant is placed. This procedure only takes about two minutes per tooth.