FAQs about Dental Sealants

If you have brought your child into the dental office for a checkup lately, the dental sealants will become mandatory.

What are dental sealants?

To reduce your child’s risk of tooth decay, we place sealants on permanent molar after they erupt. Sealants acted as a protective coating for the tooth. Because they cover deep grooves and crevices of hard cleaning areas, sealants help children get through the early formative years with fewer cavities.

Does your child have to be numbed?

No. There is no numbing or drilling or anything that can be potentially scary to your child.

You could describe it as if we are painting the teeth!

How long does it take to apply dental sealants?

It can be done completely in just a few minutes. In most cases, they are just added to your child’s routine examination appointment.

How long sealants do last?

Sealants aren’t permanent, but they can last for several years though. Sometimes sticky foods such as taffy or caramel can pull them off. The sealants will need to be checked at each of your child’s appointment to see if a replacement is needed.

Which teeth get sealants?

In most cases, the dentist seals the “6 year” and “12 year” molars which erupt around those ages, respectively.

It is usually recommended sealing all teeth containing grooves, including front teeth, back teeth, baby teeth and adult teeth.