Are Fissure Sealants Necessary For My Child?
Figuring out the best way to keep your child’s teeth healthy can be tricky.
One thing you may have heard about is fissure sealants, a type of protective coating for teeth that can help prevent cavities. But are fissure sealants necessary for your child?
If you’re a parent concerned about your children’s teeth or are looking for ways to keep their teeth healthy, this article has everything you need to know about this common preventative solution.
What Are Fissure Sealants?
The grooves and dips in your molar teeth (chewing teeth) are called fissures. Due to the grooves being so deep, it can be very difficult to clean them thoroughly with a toothbrush. Therefore, even if your oral hygiene is impeccable, some areas are just too hard to clean. Due to this, the fissures in your molar teeth are common places for cavities to form.
Fissure sealants are a thin, protective coating placed over the pits and fissures of back teeth to prevent tooth decay. The fissure sealants are made of tooth-filling material that sometimes contains fluoride. Due to the ingredients, they can either look white or clear.
Fissure sealants are extremely common in young children after their molars have fully erupted.
Benefits and risks of fissure sealants
Fissure sealants are an excellent measure of protecting teeth (molars) against developing cavities, which can be expensive and painful to treat.
Do fissure sealants hurt to get installed? No, getting fissure sealants is a painless and inexpensive procedure.
There are no common risks associated with getting dental fissure sealants. However, they may need to be replaced over time. When you have your regular six-monthly check-up with your dentist, they can check the condition of the fissure sealant and suggest if it needs to be replaced.
How long do fissure sealants last?
Fissure sealants have a varying lifespan depending on your diet and oral hygiene habits. However, they generally can last up to six years.
The fissure sealants are their most effective in the first two years. However, they may need to be replaced after that. But, if you keep a healthy diet and practice excellent oral hygiene, your fissure sealants may last six years without needing to be replaced.
If you’re unsure if your or your child’s fissure sealants need to be replaced, your dentist will examine them at your next check-up appointment.
How much do fissure sealants cost?
In Australia, the general cost of a fissure sealant varies from $40-$90 per tooth. The cost will also depend on the tooth getting the fissure sealant and the number of teeth you get done at one time. During your initial appointment for fissure sealants, your dentist will tell you exactly how much it will cost.
Who Needs Fissure Sealants?
Fissure sealants are most commonly found in children as soon as their permanent molars erupt.
Placing fissure sealants on young children’s molars allows them to stay in peak condition, reducing the chance of developing cavities. Keep in mind that not all children need fissure sealants; your dentist will advise you if your child would benefit from fissure sealants or not.
However, adults can also benefit from fissure sealants on their molars to keep their teeth looking and feeling great while preventing cavities.
Are fissure sealants necessary?
In most children, yes, fissure sealants are necessary. However, it’s important for your dentist to have a thorough look as the treatment is individualised and not all children will require them.
It’s recommended for milk and newly erupted adult molar teeth where toothbrush bristles have trouble getting into spots with deep grooves on the biting surface of the teeth.
Fissure Sealant Procedure
The fissure sealant procedure is easy and pain-free and can be done during a regular dental check-up.
- The tooth is cleaned to avoid trapping any food or bacteria on the tooth. Thoroughly cleaning the tooth also ensures that the sealant is properly bonded to the tooth.
- An etching solution is then applied to the tooth. It dries for a few seconds before being taken off. The etching solution is another method to ensure the sealant bonds properly to the tooth. It also kills any bacteria on the tooth that wasn’t removed during the initial clean.
- After the etching solution has been washed off, a liquid resin-based plastic is used to seal off the fissures and grooves of your child’s molars. While adding fissure sealants changes the chewing surface of the tooth, it doesn’t change your child’s ability to chew, as the product is very thin.
- The sealant is then set using a blue light.
- Once the procedure is complete, your child’s tooth/teeth are thoroughly protected against developing cavities.
Once the fissure sealants are in place, your child can resume brushing their teeth as usual.
Get Fissure Sealants For Your Child At Admire Dentistry
Are fissure sealants necessary for your child? In most cases, yes.
If you’re unsure whether your child needs fissure sealants, book an appointment at Admire Dentistry.
Our friendly Samford or Arana Hills dentist will take a thorough look at your child’s teeth and recommend if they need fissure sealants or not. If they do, it’s a fast and painless procedure that will protect their teeth against cavities for many years.
We’re ready to help you protect your child’s teeth and prevent them from the painful experience of developing and removing cavities.
