So, why do we place Children’s dental sealants? In children’s dentistry, adult molars and premolars (back chewing teeth) erupt; they develop “peaks and valleys”. Taller chewing and biting cusp tips form and central and lateral grooves develop in between the cusp tips.
Kids, being kids, eat sugary and acidic treats and drink sugary and acidic drinks that can threaten the integrity of the grooves in the teeth. Bacteria that cause cavities thrive in our children’s mouths threatening daily to fight their way through the grooves and into the inner tooth—causing a cavity.
We place sealants in your child’s chewing teeth when the grooves are deep in order to block the cavity causing bacteria. These plastic or bonded resin sealant fillings, can last for 2 to 5 years depending on eating habits, chewing forces and home care.
