Dental Fissure Sealant
Fissure sealants are a preventative treatment which reduces the risk of decay.
What Are Dental Fissures?
Fissures are the grooves that naturally occur on all biting surfaces of teeth.
What Is Dental Fissure Sealant?
Fissure sealants are a preventative treatment which reduces the risk of decay. The fissures of molar teeth can be so narrow that one bristle on a toothbrush is unable to get down inside to keep them clean.
A fissure sealant is a non- invasive treatment meaning no damage is done to tooth structure, usually carried out on adult teeth which erupt into the mouth from about 6 years old.
Fissure sealants are especially helpful to use in children as their new permanent teeth can be a little more susceptible to decay before they have been exposed to topical fluoride.
What’s Involved?
The process involves flowing a resin material into the fissures and setting it with a blue light. This seals up the fissures and prevents plaque bacteria causing decay in these regions. As this is a preventative treatment, it is included in our junior care plan.
Is This treatment For Your Child?
This treatment is not appropriate for everyone and we can advise you whether it is something that would be suitable for you or your child.
In order to successfully place a fissure sealant, we need to keep the teeth really dry and for a patient to keep their mouth open whilst placing it, which means children cannot be too young.
Photo of fissure sealed teeth
What Happens During The Treatment?
During the appointment we paint an etch onto the tooth which then needs to be washed off with cold water; once this is done, we need the tooth to stay dry and so require the patient to keep their mouth open until the resin material has been placed into the fissures and set with a blue light.
Ongoing Care
Fissure sealants need to be checked on a regular basis to ensure that they are not leaking, and this will be done at each examination appointment.
The technique is only successful if the tooth can be kept really dry during application and it is not a substitute for a careful diet and regular, thorough tooth brushing.