As a parent or caregiver, you want to do whatever is necessary to protect your children. When it comes to their oral health, you should feel no different. Dental sealants are one way you can protect your children's teeth from tooth decay.
Sealants are not a new technology. Invented in 1967 and approved by the FDA in 1972, dentists have been placing them for over 30 years.
The back teeth or molars have uneven pits where food and plaque bacteria get trapped. As illustrated above, a single bristle of a toothbrush is too large to get into these pits to properly clean the area. The bacteria covert sugar and starch into harmful acids that attack tooth enamel, eventually resulting in decay.
A sealant is a plastic material (resin) that is applied to the chewing surfaces of the permanent molars, the very last teeth in the mouth that erupt around ages 6 and 12. It acts as a barrier that prevents food from getting trapped in the pits of the tooth. It takes only a few minutes to "paint" the sealant onto the tooth where it flows into the grooves of the tooth and bonds to the enamel. This procedure is quick and painless for the child.
Once placed sealants usually last several years before a reapplication is needed. At regular dental visits, the dentist will check the condition of the sealants to determine if reapplication is necessary.
While sealants offer protection against decay to the chewing surfaces of a tooth, decay can still form interproximally (in-between the teeth). Good oral hygiene, including flossing, and regular dental check ups are important to prevent decay in areas that the sealants do not cover.
Most dental insurance plans cover sealants as a preventative procedure for children up to age 14.
