Sealants Improve Children’s Oral Health

Preventative Care & Dental Sealants

If left untreated, tooth decay, also known as cavities, may result in pain, infection, and more serious dental problems. One highly effective option to help prevent cavities is dental sealants – a thin plastic film painted on the chewing surface of teeth. Dental sealants act as a barrier to seal-off space between the tooth surface and any small food particles or bacteria that may otherwise cause a cavity.

Decay can begin early in life, so dentists usually apply sealants to children’s and teenagers’ premolars and molars.

As long as the sealant remains intact, the tooth surface will be protected from decay. Sealants hold up well under the force of normal chewing and usually last several years before a reapplication is needed.

Insurance benefits for sealant procedures have increased considerably, especially as companies start to realize that sealants are a proven preventive technique.