What Are Sealants?

There are a series of grooves (called pits and fissures) on the biting surfaces of all back teeth. These grooves are a common area to find decay starting even in an otherwise clean and healthy mouth. These grooves are wide enough to allow in the cavity causing bacteria that cause decay but too narrow for toothbrush bristles to fit in and remove it.

A pit and fissure sealant is a thin layer of plastic bonded into a groove to block access to the area by the bacteria. The best time to apply a sealant is as soon after the tooth has erupted as possible. As such, it is often considered a treatment for children only. However, any tooth that was not treated in childhood can still have a high risk of becoming decayed and sealants may be of benefits for many adolescents, young adults and adult patients.