|
Pit and fissure sealants are indicated in all permanent posterior teeth, due to the fact that teeth erupt into the mouth with deep grooves and pits. The plaque and bacteria can get into these grooves, which are smaller than a toothbrush bristle, and cause decay. In order to avoid decay in the grooves on the biting surfaces of the teeth, the dentist will take a small bur and open the grooves slightly to allow the sealant material to flow freely into the grooves.
In our office we apply sealants to the 6-year molars as soon as the child is old enough to cooperate. The procedure is not painful, but can be tedious and requires that the child cooperate in keeping the area isolated and dry. We place sealants on 12-year molars as soon as they are fully erupted into the mouth. The sealant provides a physical barrier and reduces the chance of tooth decay.
You can view an animation of this procedure in our Dental Wizard.

|