Sealants
Some teeth naturally form with deep grooves, called pits and fissures; dental decay easily starts in these grooves. A sealant is a protective plastic coating, the sealant forms a hard shield that keeps food and bacteria from getting into the tiny grooves in the teeth and causing decay. Sealants are only applied to the biting surfaces of the back teeth as these are only teeth that have the deep pits and fissures.
The process is usually quick and straightforward taking only a few minutes per tooth. The tooth is thoroughly cleaned, prepared with a special solution, and dried. The liquid sealant is then applied and allowed to set hard – usually by shining a bright light onto it. The sealant forms a smooth, protective barrier, by covering all the little grooves and dips in the surface of the tooth.
