Fissure Sealants
Fissure sealants are a painless way of protecting your children’s teeth from tooth decay
Fissure sealants are a quick, painless and straight forward procedure which uses a tooth coloured coating to cover the deep grooves (fissures) on the chewing surface of your child’s back teeth where tooth decay most often begins.
The bacteria in plaque live in these grooves and make acid which eats away at your child’s tooth enamel, causing tooth decay. Dental sealants are able to assist in preventing the build-up of plaque acids on the tooth’s enamel, aiding in the prevention of tooth decay.
What happens during my child’s fissure sealant procedure?
This quick and straightforward procedure only takes a few minutes per tooth. Our professionals will clean and prepare your child’s tooth, and dry it with air before the liquid is applied and set hard using a special pain-free light. The sealant is virtually invisible as it is tooth coloured.
While fissure sealants can last for many years, Dr Gooley will also check their progress at each active maintenance interval (your general six month check-up visit) to keep your child’s oral health in check.
To learn more please continue reading below:
Protecting your children’s teeth for life
Although sealants are a great way to prevent tooth decay, here at Family Dental Excellence we always stress the importance of maintaining a proper oral health care regime, even if your child has protective sealants covering their back teeth. It is still important that your child brushes their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flosses at least once a day.
We encourage parents to help their children floss if the child is not yet at the stage where they can floss their own teeth unsupervised. It is also important that your child avoids sugary foods and drinks, especially between meals. As the name suggests, these treats should be kept just that—treats, and eaten sparingly for a healthier smile.
As sealants are only one way to helping to prevent tooth decay it is important to remember to:
- Brush teeth and gums morning and night
- Use a pea sized amount of fluoride toothpaste
- Brush for at least 2 minutes (you can play a song in the background while your child is brushing their teeth to make the process fun and to help the time pass more quickly for your child).
- Remember to avoid a lot of sugary snacks, and keep them as treats only.
To learn more about our treatments, or to book an appointment at our Upper Mt Gravatt dental practice, please contact our team.
