During your child’s last dental check up the dentist suggested having dental sealants placed on your little one’s teeth.  Now you’re wondering, why?

Let me try to clarify the mystery of sealants…

Dental sealants are a special resin to help prevent the development of cavities on the chewing surfaces of the bicuspid and/or molar teeth.   Think of them as a sort of protective shield like applying a coat of wax on your car.  No one sees it but you know it’s there keeping the elements from ruining your car’s finish.

The procedure is simple.  The dentist simply isolates the tooth/teeth where the sealant(s) will be applied, usually with cotton rolls.  The area needs to remain completely dry until the sealant(s) has been applied.  Before you ask, the answer is,  No, anesthesia is not required  :-).  Once the tooth/teeth have been isolated sufficiently, then the resin is painted on.  To help with the setting or hardening of the material, the dentist, hygienist or dental assistant will use a curing light (it looks like the miniature version of a black light, remember those?) to set the material completely.

Sealants can stay on the teeth for years.  Occasionally one or two may come off due to placement or more than likely wear and tear.

Although dental sealants are usually placed on children’s teeth, adults can benefit from them as well.  After all, we don’t want cavities either!  Occasionally a dentist may suggest placing sealants on a child’s baby molar teeth if he or she feels these teeth may be cavity prone.

Remember, besides the upper and lower front teeth, the first molars are the next longest erupted teeth in our mouths, so the amount of abuse they go thru well deserves protecting.