Should my child get dental sealants

First, what is a dental sealant? A dental sealant is a thin, plastic coating planted on a tooth’s chewing surface to prevent tooth decay. Usually, dental sealants are put on the teeth wayyyyy in the back, like the premolars and molars where the child chews most of their food. The sealant then quickly bonds to the grooves of the teeth, forming a protective sealant over the enamel of the tooth’s surface. Dental sealants help to keep food particles out of the deep grooves of the teeth to prevent tooth decay in the future.

Due to the likeness of children and teenagers developing tooth decay in the depressions and grooves of the teeth, they are often great candidates for dental sealants. Typically, dental sealants should be placed on premolars and molars as soon as the child’s permanent teeth grow in. Dental sealants for children and teenagers are a preemptive measure and protect their teeth through their cavity-prone years of 6-14. 

In some cases, dental sealants may also be appropriate for baby teeth to help protect them as adult teeth grow in. Because baby teeth play such an important role in holding spaces for adult teeth to grow in, dental sealants may be a good idea to provide your child with the best dental care right off the bat.

• Dental Sealants placed over early stage (incipient) decay (caries) can arrest (stop) the process

• Dental sealants placed in individuals that would otherwise not get dental decay, can actually cause dental decay to start, when the sealant breaks down. This causes many adults to develop decay, when they otherwise would not.

• Dental sealants are marketed as a procedure that prevents dental decay, but in low decay risk patients, dental sealants are often and easily overprescribed and can actually cause dental decay.

• Should my child get dental sealants?

• Do dental sealants work?

• Should my child (I) get dental sealants?

• How long do dental sealants last?