Dental Sealants
Dental Sealants is available at these locations:
More than half of childhood cavities start in the deep grooves of the back teeth, and that is exactly where dental sealants go to work. At Aesthetic Dentistry, our doctors paint tooth-colored sealants into those grooves to form a smooth, protective barrier that shuts out food and bacteria. The application is quick, painless, and highly effective, which makes sealants one of the best preventive tools in dentistry, especially for children.
What it is
A thin, tooth-colored plastic coating brushed onto the chewing surfaces of back teeth (molars and premolars). It settles into the deep grooves and hardens into a protective shield against decay.
Who it's for
Mostly children, since sealants go on as soon as the permanent molars come in (around age 6 and again around age 12). Adults with deep grooves or high cavity risk can benefit too.
How we help
A quick, painless application that needs no drilling and no anesthesia. Our tooth-colored sealants are barely visible and, cared for well, can protect teeth for many years.
Sealants stop cavities before they ever start, so protect your child's permanent teeth the moment they erupt.
Why Sealants Are So Effective
- The pits and fissures on molar chewing surfaces are behind over 50% of cavities in children
- Food and bacteria settle right into these deep grooves, and toothbrush bristles are often too wide to clean them
- Enamel inside pits and fissures tends to be thinner and weaker, leaving these areas more vulnerable to decay
- By filling these grooves, a sealant leaves a smooth, sealed surface that's easy to clean and resistant to bacteria
- A sealant can't be placed once decay has formed, which is why early application is so important
How Sealants Are Applied
- Clean: The teeth are thoroughly cleaned of any plaque or food particles
- Isolate: They're dried and isolated so no moisture gets in
- Etch: A mild solution roughens the surface so the sealant can bond well
- Rinse and dry: The teeth are rinsed and dried once more
- Apply: Liquid sealant is brushed into the grooves with a tiny brush, flowing deep into every pit and fissure
- Harden: A special light cures the sealant, and the whole process takes just minutes per tooth
Timing and Care
When Should Sealants Be Applied?
- First permanent molars (age ~6): Erupting behind the baby teeth, these are especially vulnerable, so seal them as soon as they come in
- Second permanent molars (age ~12): A second critical window for sealant protection
- Premolars: Often worth sealing too, depending on how deep their grooves run
- Baby teeth: Sealed on occasion when their grooves are deep and the child is at high risk for cavities
- our doctors examine each tooth closely before recommending a sealant, because timing is key to maximum protection
How Long Do Sealants Last?
- With proper care, sealants can protect teeth for many years
- our doctors check sealants at every regular visit and can reapply them if they wear down or chip
- Steer clear of hard foods like ice and hard candy that can crack sealants
- Skip sticky foods like taffy, caramel, and gummy candy that can pull sealants off
- A sealant covers the chewing surface only, so brushing and flossing still matter between the teeth and along the gum line
Teeth seal best before any cavity begins, so ask about sealants at your child's next visit.
What to Expect
At Your Visit
- Applying a sealant is completely painless: no drilling, no shots, no anesthesia
- Each tooth takes only a few minutes
- It often reassures children to hear the sealant is simply 'painted' on to protect their teeth
- We can frequently place sealants during a regular cleaning appointment
- Your child can eat and drink normally right away, with no recovery time
Tips to Prevent Cavities
- Brush twice a day for two full minutes with fluoride toothpaste
- Go easy on sugary and sticky foods, since even healthy snacks like raisins and dried fruit can cause decay when they cling to teeth
- Trim back between-meal snacking to limit acid exposure
- Keep up on water, which rinses away food and keeps saliva flowing
- See our doctors at least twice a year, since early detection prevents bigger problems
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Decades of safe, well-studied use stand behind dental sealants, and both the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) strongly recommend them as one of the most effective ways to prevent cavities in children.
The most common question we hear is about BPA. Any BPA exposure from a sealant is minimal and momentary, far below what you encounter every day from food containers, receipts, and other ordinary sources, and it occurs only briefly right after placement. For the vast majority of children and adults, the protection dental sealants provide against decay far outweighs that very small exposure.
Yes. While children get the most dental sealants, since their newly erupted molars are the most vulnerable, adults can benefit too. If you have deep grooves in your back teeth, a history of frequent cavities, or molars that have never been filled, sealants can protect those surfaces just as effectively at any age.
Adult teeth that already have fillings or decay are not candidates for a sealant on those surfaces, but healthy molars with deep pits and fissures often are. At your regular visit, our doctors can look at your back teeth and let you know whether dental sealants would add a worthwhile layer of cavity protection for you.
No, and this is an important point. A dental sealant covers only the chewing surface of a back tooth, which is where the deep grooves are. It does nothing for the spaces between teeth, the gum line, or the smooth surfaces, and cavities can still form in all of those places.
Think of dental sealants as one strong layer of protection working alongside everything else, not a replacement for it. Brushing twice a day for two full minutes with fluoride toothpaste, flossing every night, a low-sugar diet, and regular dental visits all remain essential. Sealants simply guard the one area a toothbrush has the hardest time reaching.
It is not a cause for alarm. Dental sealants can wear down or chip over years of chewing, and occasionally one comes off entirely. That is exactly why our doctors check your child's sealants at every regular visit, looking for any that are worn, cracked, or missing.
When a sealant needs attention, we examine the tooth first to confirm it is still cavity-free, then simply clean and reapply a new sealant. The process is just as quick and painless as the first time. If you ever notice that a dental sealant has come off between visits, give our office a call so we can take a look and reseal the tooth promptly.
No. Dental sealants are preventive by nature: they are meant to seal out bacteria and food before decay ever starts. Sealing over an existing cavity would simply trap the decay underneath, where it could keep spreading unseen, so it is not something we do.
Once a cavity has formed, the tooth needs to be treated with a filling or other restoration instead. This is the whole reason timing matters so much with dental sealants. Applying them as soon as the permanent molars erupt, before any decay has a chance to set in, is what makes them so effective at protecting your child's teeth.
Most dental insurance plans cover dental sealants for children, typically for the permanent molars up to age 14 to 18, though the exact terms vary from plan to plan. Some plans limit how many teeth are covered or how often, so it is always worth checking the specifics.
Our team verifies your benefits and explains any out-of-pocket cost before treatment, so you know what to expect. Even without insurance, dental sealants are very affordable, especially compared with the cost of treating the cavities they prevent. For most families, sealing the molars is one of the best-value preventive steps available.
Protect your child's teeth at their most vulnerable. Schedule their sealant appointment today.