Fissure sealants are an excellent way to protect children’s teeth from tooth decay by coating them with a thin plastic material. Their teeth look and feel normal, but they are protected from plaque build-up and decay early on in life. At Quirke Dental Surgeons, we recommend sealants as a preventive measure for children before any decay appears and irreversible causes damage to their teeth.
Who should get fissure sealants?
Fissure sealants are intended for young children as soon as their first adult teeth come in. This would usually happen at about 6 years old but may be much earlier or later. Decay is most common in the molars, so bringing your child to see us for sealants as soon as you see the molars grow in gives your child the best chance to fight tooth decay.
A child’s first set of permanent molars grow in between ages five and seven, while the second permanent molars arrive between 11 and 14 years of age. Some teens and adults who don’t have tooth decay may get sealants as well, but it is less common.
How long do dental sealants last?
Once the sealant has been placed on the teeth, it can last up to five years. This depends on your child’s diet. Lots of sticky foods can pull those sealants right off the tooth. We will check the sealant and determine if it needs to be replaced or repaired at each dental health check.
What is the process of getting sealants?
Applying sealants is a simple, pain-free procedure that is done quickly at Quirke Dental Surgeons. There is absolutely no harmfull effect on the tooth structure from sealants.
For starters, the teeth are cleaned carefully, then dried. A mild acid solution is applied to them to roughen them slightly. This is done so the sealant can bond properly to the teeth. Then the teeth are rinsed and dried, and the sealant material is painted on and hardened with a special light.
Molars are susceptible to decay early on in life, which is why sealants are an important treatment to get for your children’s adult teeth.
There is an old saying ‘A stitch in time saves nine’. Fissure sealants are the ‘stitch in time’ and are a hugely cost-effective method of keeping your child’s teeth for life.
