Dental Sealants for Children

Sealants help protect teeth from decay by covering the chewing surfaces, especially the back teeth where brushing can be more difficult for children. Made of a clear, liquid resin, sealants harden under a special light to create a smooth, protective surface that keeps food and bacteria out of the grooves of your child’s molars.

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Research shows that sealants can reduce the risk of decay in treated teeth by up to 80%. In fact, the CDC reports that children without sealants are nearly three times more likely to develop cavities in the same teeth compared to those with sealants.

How Sealants Are Applied

The process is simple and painless:

  1. The teeth are cleaned, dried, and isolated with cotton rolls or a rubber dam.
  2. A special gel is applied to gently roughen the tooth surface, helping the sealant bond securely.
  3. After rinsing, the liquid resin flows into the grooves of the teeth and is hardened with a curing light.
  4. The dentist then checks for smoothness and ensures floss can pass between the teeth.

Sealants generally have no side effects unless a child is allergic to one of the resin ingredients, which is extremely rare.

Caring for Sealants

Sealants are durable and can last up to 10 years, though they may need replacement sooner depending on your child’s habits. Avoiding ice, hard candy, and other hard foods helps prevent chipping, which could allow decay to develop beneath the sealant. During regular checkups, the dentist will examine sealants to make sure they remain intact.

While sealants provide valuable protection—and can even stop small areas of decay from progressing—they don’t replace daily brushing and flossing. Good homecare habits remain essential for lifelong dental health.