Fissure Sealants

What are fissure sealants?

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Fissure sealants are hard, protective coatings that cover and protect the grooves and pits that are found on the chewing surfaces of molar teeth. These grooves and pits are prone to collecting food and plaque, but they can be hard to reach with toothbrush bristles.

This means that these teeth are more at risk for decay and future need for fillings.

Fissure sealants will prevent food and plaque from becoming tapped, and provide a smoother surface that is a lot easier to clean. This is why fissure sealants are seen as preventive oral care and are quite common in children’s dentistry.

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If a child is at high risk for developing decay in the pits and grooves of their teeth, fissure sealants are highly recommended. Fissure sealants will prevent your child’s adult teeth from decaying while they perfect how they care for their teeth. However, not every child needs them, so your oral hygienist will first do an assessment before going forward with the procedure.

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Will the procedure hurt?

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The placement of fissure sealants is a painless and non-invasive procedure that requires no needles. It does, however, require some preparation with a drill as well as some suction and finger pressure but the discomfort level should only be about a 1 out of 10.

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How long do they last?

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If your child receives fissure sealants on their teeth, it should last at least a couple of years. However, it depends on the quality and how well the sealants have been placed.