Seal Out Decay

The most common part of a tooth to become decayed is the deep grooves and fissures on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (molars and premolars).  These fissures are nearly impossible to keep clean with a toothbrush so cavities can form even with good brushing and flossing techniques.  To reduce the chances of getting decay in these grooves, plastic coatings called pit and fissure sealants can be applied to these areas.  The thin plastic fills the place where germs grow and make cleaning teeth much easier so cavities are avoided.

Tooth grinding, ice chewing or chewing other hard items can chip the sealant away, leaving the tooth once again unprotected so sealants are not 100% cavity proof; but they ARE effective at preventing about 75% of these kind of cavities. 

Molars must be well erupted through the gums and the child must be able to tolerate the rather simple procedure. If a child is uncooperative, it is better to postpone the treatment than place a potentially poor sealant. A bad sealant is worse than no sealant!