Dental Sealants

What are Sealants?

A dental sealant is a thin plastic film painted on the chewing surfaces of molars and premolars (the teeth directly in front of the molars). Sealants have been shown to be highly effective in the prevention of cavities.

How long will sealants last?

A sealant can last for as long as 5 to 10 years. Sealants should be checked at your regular dental appointment and can be reapplied if they are no longer in place.

Why are Sealants needed?

Back teeth have deep grooves and pits that are very difficult to keep clean. Plaque, which is a nearly invisible film of bacteria and food, collects in these groves. To make the plaque easier to see, we may stain the plaque with a harmless red dye.

Every time you eat the bacteria in plaque forms acid. Without sealants, these acid attacks can cause the enamel to break down, and you get a cavity.

How are sealants placed?

To place sealants, you usually don’t even have to be numb. First we thoroughly clean and dry the teeth, and a conditioning solution is applied. Then the sealant material is brushed into the grooves. Some types of sealants harden on their own, while others harden when exposed to a special light.


Dental sealants are an important part of Preventive Dentistry.

Sealants are used to protect teeth that have deep grooves or pits from getting cavities, primarily the chewing surfaces of the back teeth where most cavities in children are found.

Sealants are normally easy to place and do not require local anesthesia. Any tooth that is susceptible to cavities, including primary (i.e., baby) teeth, is a candidate for sealant application, including newly-erupted permanent bicuspids and molars.

The dental sealant is the most economical preventive restoration.