Dental sealants for kids (and adults too).

When permanent molars first come in — usually around age six for the first molars and age twelve for the second molars — their chewing surfaces have grooves so deep that food particles get trapped and toothbrush bristles never quite clean them out. That’s where most childhood cavities start.

A sealant is a thin layer of tooth-colored resin that we paint into those grooves and harden with a curing light. The whole process takes only a few minutes per tooth, requires no numbing, and once cured, the sealant stays put for years — we just check it at every cleaning to make sure it’s intact.

Sealants are typically placed on permanent molars, but they can also be useful for adults with deep grooves and a history of cavities in those teeth. We’ll let you know if you’re a candidate.

Sealants don’t replace brushing or flossing, and they don’t protect against cavities between teeth. But for the most cavity-prone surfaces in the mouth, they’re hard to beat for the price.