TOOTH SEALANTS PITS

• What Are Tooth Sealants Pits
• When Are They Placed

TOOTH SEALANTS:

A sealant is a flowable substance that is placed over any deep groover or fissure, in order to help prevent decay, or cavities on a tooth.

As seen in the pictures below, DEEP GROOVES and PITS can act as reservoirs for plaque and bacteria, which increases the likelihood of getting decay.

If these GROOVES are filled with a tooth sealant, it prevents the plaque and bacteria from OCCUPYING the GROOVES.

Since no PREPARATION or DRILLING is done, no anesthetic is indicated.

TOOTH SEALANTS can be placed on any teeth, but most commonly are placed on PERMANENT MOLARS shortly after they erupt. The FIRST MOLARS erupt around age 6 and the SECOND MOLARS erupt around age 12.

As stated above, they are usually placed on CHILDREN, but can be placed on adults as the need arises.

They may last many years, but may need to be redone as well.

*Picture by Stephen F. Gordon, 1993.