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Sealing Out Decay
David Molina D.D.S.One of the greatest success stories in modern medical history has been the demise of tooth decay. 37% of all children aged 5-17 have never had a cavity. The credit goes to the widespread use of fluoride which hardens tooth enamel and makes it less susceptible to the acids created by bacterial plaque.
However, even teeth that have been strengthened by fluoride have a weak spot - the grooves and fissures found on the chewing surface of the molar teeth. Since these grooves are narrow and often pitted, food and plaque accumulate in the cracks. Since the bristles of the toothbrush are larger than the cracks, the plaque is never cleaned off and eventually the cracks decay and require filling.
However, dental research has developed an effective technique for preventing decay in the grooves of teeth, a technique which avoids drilling away decayed tooth structure. A dentist can bond a thin protective coat of plastic over the grooves - a sealant. The sealant is clear or tooth-colored and acts as a barrier to protect the decay prone areas on the biting surfaces of the teeth.
Children receive the greatest benefit from having sealants applied to their teeth. The best time to seal a tooth is when the tooth is newly erupted - before it has had a chance to decay. Since the permanent molar teeth arrive at age six and age twelve, six year olds and twelve year olds are ideal candidates for sealants. Once sealed the tooth will be protected. However the sealant should be checked regularly because they occasionally are chipped and need to be repaired - a simple procedure.
The advantage of sealants are that they prevent decay rather than repair the damage created by decay. Certain teeth do not benefit from sealants - such as teeth that are naturally flat (without deep grooves) or teeth that already are decayed, or already filled. Adult teeth that have been in the mouth for decades without decay have a low likelihood of needing further protection of sealants. But for young teeth, sealants are a big step in achieving the goal of growing without any cavities at all.