Restorative/Sealants

Super Sealants are done on teeth with deep grooves that may be impossible to clean. They are resins placed on the chewing areas of the teeth after the grooves have been reshaped and debris removed.
Reshaping the grooves prior to placing the sealant allows us to clean out all debris for better retention of the sealant.
Bacteria that everyone has in their mouth live on the debris in the deep grooves and can cause a breakdown of the enamel, resulting in a hidden cavity. Hidden cavities are not detected until the grooves are reshaped (opened) by a handpiece. If the groove extends into the second (dentin) layer of the tooth, it is then considered a cavity and must be filled.
Finding the cavity early usually requires a smaller filling. If you wait until the cavity is visible, more involved treatment would probably be required.
Due to the uncertainty of the depth of the grooves, it may be impossible to inform parents whether we will need to do a Super Sealant or a Filling on a specific tooth. We will do the best treatment for your child whether it is a Super Sealant or a Filling.
Please remember: Chewing ice and/or hard candy will cause fracturing to sealants, fillings and even healthy tooth surfaces. If your child has a habit of chewing hard things, it would be best to wait on sealants.
If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to ask.