Sealants are an important protection for young teeth.
Highly effective in preventing decay on the chewing surfaces of your back teeth, dental sealants are a simple, relatively inexpensive procedure in which a tooth-colored acrylic “coating” is painted into the grooves and valleys on the surface of the tooth and then hardened. This effectively “seals” the deep grooves, acting as a barrier to bacteria and protecting enamel from plaque and plaque acids.
Sealants protect the depressions and grooves of your teeth from food particles and plaque that brushing and flossing can’t reach.
Easy to apply, sealants take only a few minutes to seal each tooth. Sealants hold up well under the force of normal chewing and can last several years before a reapplication is needed.
Although primarily utilized for children’s permanent molars, both children and adults can benefit from sealants in the fight against tooth decay. Molars that grow in, at or about age 6 and about age 12, benefit the most from sealants. Teeth should be sealed as early as possible after growing into the mouth (before decay can get a foothold in the grooves and valleys of these teeth).
