Sealants
The chewing surfaces of your back teeth aren’t flat. They’re full of tiny pits and grooves, and those grooves are often deeper and narrower than a toothbrush bristle. Food and bacteria settle in, and that’s exactly where most cavities in children and teens begin.
Dental sealants are a simple way to close those grooves off. At Community Dental, sealants are one of the easiest, most comfortable things we do, and they can save your family a lot of fillings down the road.
What Are Dental Sealants?
A sealant is a thin, tooth-colored coating painted onto the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. It flows into the grooves, hardens and leaves behind a smooth surface that’s much easier to keep clean. Plaque has fewer places to hide, and your toothbrush can reach what it couldn’t before.
Sealants don’t change how your teeth look or feel when you bite, and most people forget they’re there.
Who Should Get Sealants?
Children: Sealants work best when they’re placed soon after the permanent molars come in, usually around age 6 and again around age 12. Those new teeth are especially vulnerable to decay in their first few years.
Teens: Sealants help protect teeth during the years when snacking goes up and brushing habits are still settling in.
Adults: Adults with deep grooves and no fillings in those teeth can benefit too, especially anyone who has had a lot of cavities in the past.
At your child’s cleaning and exam, Dr. Deborah York will let you know whether sealants make sense and which teeth would benefit.
What Happens During the Appointment?
Placing sealants is quick and painless, with no shots and no drilling. Here’s how it works:
- Cleaning: We clean and polish the chewing surfaces of the teeth being sealed.
- Preparation: A gentle solution roughens the surface slightly so the sealant bonds well, then it’s rinsed off and the tooth is dried.
- Application: The liquid sealant is painted into the grooves.
- Curing: A special light hardens the sealant in a few seconds.
The whole visit usually takes just a few minutes per tooth, and your child can eat normally right afterward.
Finding Decay Before It Gets Sealed In
Sealants should only go on healthy teeth. Before placing them, we check each groove carefully. Our office uses DIAGNOdent, a laser that helps detect decay hidden deep in the grooves that the eye can’t see. If a tooth already has a small cavity, it may need a filling instead of a sealant.
How Long Do Sealants Last?
Sealants commonly last several years, and sometimes longer, with normal chewing. We check them at every checkup. If one has worn down or chipped, we can repair or replace it quickly, usually during a routine visit.
Sealants Work Best With Good Habits
Sealants protect the chewing surfaces, but they don’t cover the sides of the teeth or the spaces between them. For the best protection, combine sealants with:
- Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste
- Daily flossing
- Fewer sugary snacks and drinks between meals
- Regular cleanings and checkups, usually every six months
Are Sealants Covered by Insurance?
Many dental plans cover sealants for children, usually on the permanent molars and within certain age limits. Coverage for adults varies. Our team will check your benefits before the appointment so you know what to expect. We accept Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Delta Dental, UnitedHealthcare and other plans, and we offer financing through CareCredit, Sunbit and ONEderful. See our insurance and financing options.
Protect Your Family’s Smiles
Sealants are a small step that can make a big difference. Call us at 614-272-0110 or request an appointment online, and we’ll check whether they’re a good fit for you or your child.
FAQs About Dental Sealants
A dental sealant is a protective coating that is brushed onto the chewing surfaces of the molars. It sinks into the grooves and pits, preventing food particles and bacteria from becoming trapped there. The sealant is a shield that significantly reduces the risk of tooth decay, dental cavities, and infection.
The ideal candidates for dental sealants are young children, teens, and adults who have healthy teeth with deep pits and grooves, as well as anyone who is at high risk of dental cavities, has a medical condition that affects oral health, or has trouble caring for their teeth due to age, injury, or a disability.
Dental sealants are a preventive, protective measure that can reduce the risk of dental cavities. Dental fillings are a treatment for existing cavities. Fillings are a composite material or metal used to fill in the holes created by tooth decay and protect the tooth from further damage or infection.
They can last up to nine years; however, their lifespan depends on your age, lifestyle, and oral hygiene. They also lose efficacy each year, operating at maximum performance in the first two years and declining over the following years. We recommend replacing them after three or four years.
They are important because they offer 80% protection against dental cavities, which means you’ll have a lower risk of painful cavities, spend less time and money on your oral health, and can avoid costly procedures like dental fillings and restorations.
No, adults can also get dental sealants.
Yes, dental sealants are safe, non-toxic, and biocompatible with no known side effects.
Yes, they protect up to 80% of cavities during the first two years of use, and up to 50% over the next three to four years.
No, the application process and ongoing use of sealants is completely painless and requires no cutting, drilling, needles, or anesthesia.