Fissure Sealants

Fissure sealants are a safe and painless way of protecting your teeth from decay.

A sealant is a protective plastic coating that is applied to the biting surfaces of the back teeth, which have deep crevices (pits and fissures) and are, therefore, vulnerable to decay. The sealant forms a hard, smooth shield that prevents food and bacteria from getting into the tiny grooves and also makes the surface easier to clean.

Fissure sealants have been used in Dentistry for many decades and provide a very effective means of preventing tooth decay.

Reasons for sealing teeth

Children and teenagers: We usually recommend fissure sealant treatment for children when their first permanent teeth come through, at the age of 6-7 years, or any time throughout the cavity-prone years of 6-16.

Adults: Any permanent tooth without decay that has deep pits and fissures.

Baby Teeth: Occasionally baby teeth are sealed if they have deep pits and fissures and a child is cavity-prone.

Sealant Application

Sealants are applied easily and painlessly by your dentist or dental hygienist. No drilling is required and the process only takes a couple of minutes per tooth. The tooth is properly cleaned, treated, and dried, and the sealant is applied. It then hardens to form a protective coating over the tooth.

Regular maintenance by your dentist will aid in the life of fissure sealants as well as proper home care and a balanced diet.