Fissure Sealants
What are Fissure Sealants?
Fissure sealants are a safe and painless way of protecting children’s teeth from decay. The purpose of a fissure sealant is to make the biting surface of the tooth smooth to eliminate food traps that can become decayed. The tooth is cleaned with and tried and a flowable filling material is used which flows into the grooves/fissures of the tooth and makes the biting surface smooth and easy to keep clean.
Which teeth should be sealed?
Sealants are only applied to the back teeth – the molars and premolars. These are the teeth that have pits and fissures on their biting surfaces. Your dentist/oral health therapist will tell you which teeth should be sealed after they have examined them and checked whether the fissures are deep enough for sealing to be beneficial. Some teeth naturally form with deep grooves, these teeth are likely to decay much quicker, others with shallow grooves that can be monitored and only sealed if necessary.
How long do fissure sealants last for?
Fissure sealants usually last for many years, but your dentist/oral health therapist will want to check them regularly to make sure that the seal is still intact. They can wear over time from chewing, and sometimes the dentist needs to add or replace some sealant to be sure that no decay can start underneath them.
Are fissure sealants expensive?
Fissure sealants cost roughly $50-$65 each, this is just a fraction of the cost of a restorative filling (fillings range from $170-$350).