What Are Dental Sealants?
A dental sealant is a very thin layer of filling material used to fill-in the deep grooves of teeth – usually molars. By sealing these grooves, which tend to collect food debris and bacteria, we can prevent buildup and decay, using materials similar to those in composite or white fillings.
When Are Sealants Placed?
Sealants are typically applied around ages 6-8 for the first adult molars and 12-14 for the second adult molars, coinciding with when these teeth fully emerge. Molars are focused on due to their long-term presence and deep grooves.
Should Other Teeth Be Sealed?
Sealing non-molar teeth is considered on a case-by-case basis. While some teeth with deep grooves may not require sealing if there is little decay history, high-risk children might benefit from sealing additional teeth to minimize future decay risks.
{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Dentist", "name": "Kearney Pediatric Dentistry", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "1407 East 56th Street", "addressLocality": "Kearney", "addressRegion": "NE", "postalCode": "68847" }, "telephone": "+13082365437", "url": "https://kearneykidsdentist.com/sealants", "openingHoursSpecification": [ { "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification", "dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday"], "opens": "08:00", "closes": "17:00" }, { "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification", "dayOfWeek": "Friday", "opens": "08:00", "closes": "17:00", "description": "By appointment only" } ], "image": "https://kearneykidsdentist.com/images/sealants-photo.jpg", "sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/KearneyPediatricDentistry/", "https://www.instagram.com/kearneykidsdentist/", "https://www.youtube.com/@kearneykidsdentist", "https://www.tiktok.com/@kearneykidsdentist" ], "priceRange": "$$", "founder": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dr. Brett Carranza", "jobTitle": "Board Certified Pediatric Dentist", "affiliation": "Kearney Pediatric Dentistry" }, { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dr. Eric Carranza", "jobTitle": "Board Certified Pediatric Dentist", "affiliation": "Kearney Pediatric Dentistry" } ], "medicalSpecialty": "PediatricDentistry", "availableService": { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Dental Sealants", "procedureType": "Preventive", "description": "Dental sealants are used to prevent tooth decay by covering the deep grooves in children's teeth, especially molars, which are prone to decay." } }