Fissure sealants are an extremely simple and effective measure for preventing dental decay in children’s teeth, by sealing the crevices in the biting surface of molar teeth where plaque can collect. By making teeth cleaning much easier, fissure sealants can give an 80% reduction in the development of dental decay in the biting surface of the tooth.
Fissure sealants are normally placed on the biting surface of the first adult molar tooth, which arrives at about 6 years of age.
The tooth needs to be free of decay so the sealant is ideally placed within 6 months of the tooth coming fully into the mouth.
The tooth is painted with a preparing layer. This is washed away and the sealant layer is applied. This is then set using a high intensity light.
The procedure is very simple and often works as an ideal ‘acclimatisation’ to dental treatment. Fissure sealant treatment can be carried out by your child’s dentist or by our dental therapist, who will take steps to ensure that treatment is as relaxed and comfortable as possible.
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