Fissure Sealants

When your child’s adult back teeth first emerge, they are cavity-free, and fissure sealants can help to keep them that way! We recommend fissure sealants are applied soon after your child’s adult back teeth erupt because they cannot be used on teeth that already have decay or fillings.

What are Fissure Sealants?

 Fissure sealants are made from a thin, flowable plastic material that is applied to the large chewing surfaces of adult back teeth. These surfaces have lots of deep grooves and fissures that can be tricky to clean with a toothbrush. Sealing these surfaces helps to prevent decay-causing bacteria and food from becoming trapped, creating a surface that is smooth and easy to clean.

What Is the Procedure for Fissure Sealants?

 Fissure sealants are quick and painless to apply. First, we will clean your child’s teeth before lightly etching the tooth surfaces that are to be sealed because this helps to create a stronger bond between the sealant and the tooth. Next, the sealant is painted onto the tooth and is quickly hardened using a curing light. That’s it!

How Long Will Fissure Sealants Last?

The material used is quite durable, so it should be several years before your child needs another application, but we will check the condition of their fissure sealants on every visit.