A dental sealant is a thin plastic coating that is applied to the chewing surface of your back teeth to protect them from tooth decay. Deep grooves and fissures of these teeth are hard to clean and can harbor decay-causing bacteria.

A dental sealant acts as a barrier, sealing the chewing surface of the tooth and making it smooth and easy to clean.

Applying a dental sealant is a simple, preventive procedure that can help you save time, money, unnecessary discomfort and most importantly, your natural teeth.

A dental sealant application can benefit a variety of patients, including:

• Children with newly erupted permanent back teeth
• Adults that are prone to tooth decay due to either an underlying medical condition or an anatomical tooth structure with deep grooves on the chewing surface
• Any person who wants to be better protected from tooth decay

Applying the sealant does not require any drilling, and is quick, easy and completely painless. First, the entire chewing surface of the tooth needs to be thoroughly cleaned, etched with a special gel and dried. Then, a thin layer of the sealant is applied to the grooves of the tooth and cured (hardened) with a special blue spectrum light to form a protective shield.

A sealant can protect your teeth from decay for many years as long as it is checked for wear and chipping during every regular dental visit and reapplied if it’s damaged.